


Betrothed

by fangirlsupreme



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Anal Sex, Arranged Marriage, Blow Jobs, Boys Kissing, First Kiss, First Time, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Kidnapping, Light Physical Abuse, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Prince Castiel, Prince Dean, Torture, Virgin Castiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-22
Updated: 2014-04-22
Packaged: 2018-01-20 08:24:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 98,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1503575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirlsupreme/pseuds/fangirlsupreme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In order to seal a contract between the kingdoms of Novak and Winchester, each king has agreed to marry off one of the royal family. What begins as a duty for both Prince Dean and Prince Castiel soon becomes a journey of self-discovery, freedom, and love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was an omegle collaboration between myself and the same wonderful person with whom I wrote You Were Something I Never Expected, the lovely Valerie, and she can be found on tumblr at the-harbor.tumblr.com. She provided the prompt once more and she wrote for Dean while I wrote for Castiel. I know the summary sucks, but I promise it's a great story.

It was known as the Treaty of Stillwater, as it took place in the city of Stillwater at a large venue both families were to meet at. There had long been tensions between the countries of Winchester and Novak.  


Winchester was the greatest military power in the world; their reputation alone usually won wars before they even began. Dean Winchester, crowned prince, was the general of the armies and said to be the greatest fighter – and greatest leader – their country had ever known. John Winchester was king in title, but since the death of the queen he was all but absent. The people looked to Dean as the face of their country. He was also considered quite the playboy – always taking different women, and sometimes men, to bed, sometimes more than one at a time. It was said that he was indeed hard to resist.  


They were quite the opposite from Novak, home of the world’s most powerful alchemists. They were a country of logic and intelligence, but social frigidness. Their military was weak, but their business sense knew no bounds. Michael was ruthless, put numbers in front of people, kept his best scientists under lock and key. Secrets are what kept them safe, and King Michael accepted nothing but perfection.  


The union between Dean Winchester and Castiel Novak, the youngest of the Novak children, was to be announced that evening.  


Dean Winchester sat in the chambers provided for him, looking into the mirror at the military cut suit he had on, green and gold- his country’s colors. Dean Winchester. Betrothed. To a man. He never thought he’d see the day.  


He supposed it was inevitable, but he hadn’t planned on it being so soon, not when he’d had so much living to do yet. Wine, women, song, Dean was a happy man. Of course, his father hadn’t let Dean know how bad their economy was becoming until they were already neck deep in the king’s debts, and Dean was the one to jump in and make the sacrifice… as he always was. Now he gearing up to be engaged to the youngest Novak prince, and if he was anything like King Michael – cold, unfeeling, ruthless, just to name a few – Dean wanted nothing to do with him. But what did that matter now?  


He exhaled and put on his gloves to head out to where Sam, his nine-year-old brother, was waiting for him.  


“What if he doesn’t like me?” Sam asked, looking up at his brother as they awaited their father.  


“I’m sure he’ll love you,” Dean assured with an easy smile. “Anyone in their right mind loves you, Sammy.”  


“I hope so,” the boy said with a sigh. “I don’t want to have a brother who hates me.”  


And I don’t want to have a fiancé that hates me, Dean thought. In the moments before they were to enter, Dean hoped at least that he and Castiel Novak would… get along. 

\--

Castiel had never been more terrified in his life. He had always known that should push come to shove, he would be the one to be married off in the name of peace and prosperity. He was the youngest, after all. He just never expected it to happen so soon, and with the Winchester kingdom no less. He’d heard stories about Winchester. Violent and aggressive, their kingdom bred warriors. Though Castiel could protect himself if he needed to, he would much prefer it were he not married off to a caveman. 

Michael spent the entire journey over lecturing Castiel on how to be a proper wife. Castiel spent the entire time ignoring him. He did not want to be a wife. He was not a woman and did not want to spend the rest of his life being treated like one. It was unfortunate, how they were stuck in roles of subservience, but that did not mean Castiel wished to join them. He still had so many dreams he wished to accomplish, but he knew that he would heed Michael’s words for the sake of the kingdom.

He wasn’t surprised when he’d arrived at the venue with his brothers to see that it was honestly rather small. It was really just enough for both sides to have their closest family members. Michael would have it no other way. He valued secrecy, and Castiel was one of the best-kept secrets in the kingdom. There were only a handful of people outside of their immediate family that had ever seen his face. Many in the kingdom thought him to be a myth. Castiel was the most talented alchemist that their kingdom had ever seen and Michael protected that fact with all he had. Castiel could count the number of times he’d been out of the castle on one hand. 

Castiel had been rushed to his room quickly, Michael intent on keeping him out of sight. Castiel simply obeyed with a barely suppressed sigh. It had been the same all his life, and now he would be married off to a barbarian who would do the same or even worse. Castiel shuddered at the thought. He stared at the suit laid out on his bed. It was pure white with blue trim, traditional colors for the first meeting of one’s fiancé. The ceremonial suit was almost exactly the same, save for a gold trim in place of the blue. Castiel wanted to kick it away, but he would really get it from Michael if it were wrinkled. A knock sounded at his door and Castiel rose to answer it.

“Still not dressed, little brother?” Gabriel asked, pushing his way into the room. Castiel rolled his eyes and closed the door after his older brother. They were the closest in age and got along well most of the time.

“I feel nauseous,” Castiel admitted, looking down at the suit in dismay.

“Hey, it’s going to be alright,” Gabriel said, clapping Castiel on the shoulder, “Everything’s going to be fine. Just make sure that if you actually puke to aim for Michael. I can already see the look on his face.” Castiel couldn’t stop the small chuckle that came out of him as he thought about it. Gabriel always knew how to make him feel better. 

“Get out,” he said, shoving his older brother playfully, “I need to change.”

“Nothing we haven’t all seen before!” Gabriel called as the door was shut behind him. 

Castiel dressed quickly, nervous butterflies still fluttering around in his stomach. He looked at his reflection, wishing that his smile wasn’t so forced. Letting out another sigh, Castiel straightened his jacket a final time as one firm knock echoed through the room. Michael had come to escort him. He had insisted that they be in the room first and let the Winchester kingdom be the ones to enter. They walked in silence, Castiel feeling his palms begin to sweat. Everyone else was already there when Castiel and Michael arrived. They sat themselves in their proper seats and awaited the arrival of their guests. Castiel still wanted to puke.

\--

The sounds of lutes and fiddles might as well have been a funeral dirge for all the joy it was igniting in Dean. The bad news aside, Dean wasn't one for society events. As far as he was concerned it was simply an opportunity for the stuffed hens to stick out their chests and display their appalling shades of plumage. He rolled his eyes as the doors swung open, following a step behind his father. His vest and collar were stifling; his jacket the typical military cut that was tradition. It fit him well, too well. Lord, how he wished to be in his casuals, throwing his guards into the dirt.

He rolled out his broad shoulders as they stepped into the light waiting for John to finish descending the stairs. Dean was supposed to descend with him, but Sam hated to go down alone so instead he put a comforting hand on Sam's shoulder, offering him a small, affectionate smile before they headed down the stairs together. His piercing green eyes scanned the congregation. He recognized Michael - the toad of a man that he was - almost instantly. Dean had been present for the negotiations and Michael was only too happy to trade his youngest sibling like cattle. It was true that Novak needed Winchester more than the other way around but still. He wondered if Castiel would look at family the same way. 

John strode right up to Michael and threw a hand into the other king's hand and Dean sighed. Dean knew it was a disrespectful greeting in Novak and tried to ignore the disgusted look on Michael's face as he and his family stood to greet them. 

"May I present you my eldest son, and crowned prince, Dean," John said motioning to him. Dean bowed respectfully, though he kept a hand on Sam shoulder as the boy all but tried to disappear behind him. 

"A pleasure," Michael said wryly. "May I introduce my brother, Castiel," Michael said, motioning a hand at his brother. 

Dean was very pleasantly surprised. He looked an awful lot like Michael, but he was more handsome by miles. He had eyes the color of the sky and a svelte, distinguished figure. Not at all the woman Michael had been trying to sell him. If Dean had only sight and not sense, he might have been very happy indeed. 

John glared at him when he did not kiss Castiel's hand like he was expected to, but instead paid him the respect of bowing. He didn't know the man yet, after all. There was no reason to disrespect him when there was ample opportunity they might be able to get along. 

\--

Castiel's hands bounced in his lap until he felt a sharp kick to his chair coming from Gabriel. He turned to glare at his brother, just as the king began to come down the stairs. Castiel sat up straighter and stilled his hands before Michael could reprimand him. Besides, as nervous as he was, he did want to know what his betrothed looked like. He'd heard nothing but stories about the crowned prince of Winchester, and none of them had been very good. 

Castiel's eyes snapped to the stairs as soon as the king had reached the bottom, watching as his sons followed him down. Well, Dean certainly wasn't difficult to look at. It was clear that he had a warrior's build, but it was not as overwhelming as some of the tapestries depicted. His face seemed rather friendly as well. Gabriel elbowed him discreetly, wiggling his eyebrows in a suggestive manner when Castiel glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. 

Castiel paid attention once more just in time to stand as Michael introduced him. He watched Dean, blue eyes catching on green before the Winchester bowed. Castiel returned the sign of respect, wishing the butterflies in his stomach would go away. Michael looked at him sharply and Castiel could barely restrain the sigh that he wished to let out.

"It is an honor to meet you, my lord," he said softly, mostly because of nerves but also because Michael would be sure to reprimand him if he seemed too outspoken. Castiel had no idea what his older brother had told the Winchester family about him, but he doubted it was entirely true. He would not meet Dean's eyes, Michael believing that a 'wife' should not challenge the husband in such a way. It made Castiel want to kick something. 

"Let the celebration of the uniting of our kingdoms begin!" Michael said with a grand gesture. Music began to play and people began to mingle as food was brought out.

"Go get him, tiger," Gabriel murmured into Castiel's ear with a wink before leaving to find the desserts. Castiel blushed, glaring at his brother's back as he left. 

"Do not make any mistakes," Michael hissed at him before turning to give some dignitary a wide smile. Castiel stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Castiel's body language was overly submissive. Almost too submissive, like he was instructed to be such. He watched Michael and John walk off together with a sigh before nodding to Castiel. 

"I suppose this is the part where we're supposed to exchange the pleasantries from the cue cards our respective kings have given us," Dean teased, offering a small smile to Castiel that he hoped was comforting.

Castiel found himself looking up at Dean against instruction, meeting his eyes again, and returning his small smile with one of his own. "I know that is definitely what Michael would prefer," he said quietly, still nervous but feeling better by the moment, "Were it possible, he would probably seal this treaty without me in the room at all. He likes it when things run smoothly." Castiel always had a bad habit of messing up social events, though it was never entirely his fault.

"Well," Dean said, rocking up on his toes, hands behind his back. "If your involvement signifies things not going smoothly, then perhaps we will get along just fine." 

Sam tugged on his sleeve and peeked out from around Dean. 

"Ah, Majesty may I introduce my younger brother, Sam," Dean said, his smile widening just at the sight of him. Sam stepped out to stand beside Dean and bowed nervously, tiny jaw clenched, fists at his sides. 

"It's... it's an honor... Your majesty..." Sam stuttered out. Dean looked up to Castiel and mouthed 'He's nervous' to Castiel. 

Castiel couldn't stop the genuine smile that spread across his face when he saw Sam. He walked around the table before stopping in front of the pair of brothers and crouching down so that he and Sam were face to face. 

"The honor is all mine," he assured the young prince with a kind smile, "Though I would much prefer if you called me Castiel. We're going to be brothers, aren't we? No need for titles." Despite having just met the young boy, Castiel felt himself liking him immediately and he wanted him to feel more comfortable. After all, Castiel really wasn't someone to be nervous around. 

Sam and Dean beamed matching grins at the kindness Castiel showed him, and Sam immediately looked up at Dean.

"I told you," Dean said, patting the boys back. 

Sam nodded, still grinning before looking back at Castiel and throwing his arms around the princes neck, then jerked away immediately. "Oh, I shouldn't have done that," he said, his face becoming stricken. "I'm sorry, oh, father is going to be so angry with me."

"Hey, hey, it's alright," Dean soothed. "You let me worry about father. Look, there's Bobby and Ellen. Why don't you go say hello to them?" Sam smiled a little before nodding.

"It was nice to meet you my lo-urm. Castiel," Sam said with a giggle before sprinting off the Bobby and Ellen. 

Dean looked after him with a sigh before turning back to Castiel. "Thank you for that."

Castiel was a little shell-shocked by the hug. He actually couldn't remember ever being touched so physically by anyone. He didn't count Gabriel. It was going to be hard to integrate himself into the customs of the Winchester kingdom, but he hoped he would learn with time. 

"It was no trouble," Castiel said standing, straightening his jacket as he did so, "I quite vividly remember being nervous like that. He seems like a very sweet kid. I look forward to getting to know him. You as well."

Castiel could see Michael glancing over at them and immediately averted his eyes, looking down towards the ground rather than at Dean's face. Though he was soon to be married off, he knew that Michael would find some way to punish him if he made a mistake in his presence. 

Dean followed Castiel's gaze to Michael and then saw his change of posture and exhaled through his nose. "I was just thinking that I need some fresh air," Dean said turning to block Michael’s view of Castiel. "Would you care to join me? There's a balcony just there and I think it would do us both good." He sighed. "It would be hard to get to know each other while we are both pretending to be something we're not." 

"Yes, my lord," Castiel answered softly; keeping up appearances for fear that some of the guests would report back to Michael. The balcony would be just what he needed. No Michael, no rules and requirements, even if only for a moment. Dean has seemed very nice thus far and Castiel prayed it extended past the official wedding ceremony. He followed Dean out onto the balcony, letting out a huge sigh as soon as the doors shut behind them, his shoulders slumping from their rigid posture.

Dean sighed as well, reveling in the chill of the Stillwater air. He leaned on the rail of the balcony on his elbows, looking out into the city. What was there to say? They were two men, forced to marry against their will, doomed to a loveless and almost certainly celibate marriage. "I'm sorry," was all he could think to say. "About all of this. About uprooting your from your home to come live in a land you've never stepped foot in." He sighed and let his head hang for a minute. 

"Don't say that as though you're entirely to blame," Castiel chastised lightly, coming to stand next to Dean, "Michael was more than eager to send me away." He looked over the city, taking in the sights. This was his first trip away from home. Though he had left the castle before, it had only been to go to the lower town and visit the people in the market with Gabriel every once in a while. He'd never actually left the kingdom. "At least I'll be somewhere new," Castiel said with a sigh, "I've never been beyond the lower town of our kingdom before now." He wanted to comfort Dean somehow, but was unsure of what to do. He knew that in the Winchester kingdom, physical touch was much more widely accepted, a fact he would have to get used to quickly. He placed a very hesitant hand on Dean's shoulder and patted it gently a few times before removing it awkwardly. "I'm sure things will turn out alright somehow."

Dean laughed, turning just his head to look over at his betrothed. "I suppose we can only hope. For my part, at least..." He inhaled and turned to face Castiel, looking down into the shorter man's face. "I promise to never treat you like a woman, regardless of what Michael or my father expects of us. You are a man, and I will treat you as such, you have my word on it. I-" He exhaled and looked down at his feet. "I love my father, Majesty, but I am not like him."

Castiel couldn't stop the breath of relief that passed his lips upon hearing Dean's words. "I have to say, that is definitely the best thing you could've said to me, my lord," he said with a smile, still looking out over the city, never wanting to forget the sight, "Though I wish you to call me Castiel." He let the silence sit for a few beats before looking over at Dean. "May I ask, what did Michael tell you of me? I have a feeling very little of it is actually true.”

"Then you should call me Dean," he said with a nod, turning his back to the railing to lean on it. "And if none of it is true, let us not spoil the conversation by having me repeat it. I assure you that it has had no impact on my opinion of you. I prefer to make my own decisions on such matters. You were kind to my brother. If I knew nothing else about you, that would be enough for me." 

Castiel smiled a bit shyly. Anyone else may have thought that he had done that on purpose, but being kind to Sam had simply been a knee jerk reaction. He opened his mouth to respond when the balcony door opened behind them. 

"The formal meal is beginning, your Majesties," a servant reported, his head bowed so low, Castiel was surprised he wasn't touching the ground.

"Thank you," Castiel said with a smile that the servant couldn't see, "You may stand straight." The servant did so warily, but kept his head down. 

"King Michael desires your presence at the table," he added. Immediately, Castiel's entire demeanor changed. His shoulders stiffened and his back went straight.

"We shall be there momentarily," Castiel reassured the servant who then backed out, leaving the door open behind him. Castiel could see Michael now, his sharp gaze on him.

"Shall we, my lord?" Castiel asked softly, eyes downcast, wanting more than anything to kick Michael's behind.

"I suppose if we must," Dean said with an over dramatic sigh before motioning for Castiel to walk ahead of him. 

"Winchester, you old dog," a familiar voice chimed once they walked in. "You certainly work quickly."

"Balthazar, old friend," Dean said, clapping the man happily on the forearm in a handshake. Balthazar was the only citizen of Novak that Dean ever really got along with. More than once they had saved each other from a tedious night of nobility with sharp wit and playful ribbing. "I don't think I’ve ever been happier to see you, since I've pretty much never been happy to see you. Ever."

"You wound me, old boy," Balthazar lilted. "I've known Cassie since he was in diapers, of course I would be here."

"Is that so?" Dean said with a grin. "Well, I am glad to hear it then. We should catch up when neither Castiel or I are receiving the evil eye from our respective kings."

"Quite right," Balthazar said with a sigh. "Come along Cassie, I will escort you to your seat."

Dean laughed. He knew very well Castiel was going to be sat next to Dean at the head of the table with their kings on the corners beside them, so Balthazar obviously had other plans for the walk. Dean bowed as a means of excusing himself so the old friends could be alone.

"So?" Balthazar said, linking his arm into Castiel's and walking as slowly as possible. "What do you think? He's a real looker isn't he?"

"I don't think that's of much import," Castiel responded, keeping an eye on Michael in his periphery, "And I do wish you would stop calling me Cassie."

"Not a chance," Balthazar said smoothly, smiling at those who passed them as if they weren't having this conversation, "And of course it's important. You don't want to be jumping into the bed chamber with someone with a face like a toad." Castiel's face went bright red and he fumbled for a response.

"Balthazar, not everyone has that sort of thing on their minds," he finally hissed, willing his blush to go away before he was seated at the table. His old friend was most definitely not a conventional citizen of Novak.

"That sort of thing?" Balthazar echoed, a teasing smile on his face, "Oh Cassie, you are as innocent and naive as the day you were born. You may want to consider it more seriously, for your husband's sake at the very least." Castiel could say no more for they had reached his seat, though he could still feel the heat on his face at Balthazar's implications. He had, of course, thought about it but he had no idea how to even really go about it. He had resigned himself to baby steps, first accustoming himself to even handshakes and hugs. Now with Balthazar's teasing, Castiel wondered if more would be expected of him sooner.

Dean who was standing beside his father's seat cocked an entertained eyebrow at the bright red in Castiel's face. Balthazar at work, he assumed, and knew he was correct when Balthazar winked at him across the table as he made his way to his seat. Dean rolled his eyes and shook his head. Balthazar was the kind of monkey wrench they really didn't need tonight. Still, Dean was glad to have seen him. 

Once John sat, Dean turned to sit in his chair beside Castiel. "Whatever he said to you," Dean said in a low tone so it didn't even look like he was talking about it. "Just remember that Balthazar knows about as much about being married as a shark knows about flying." 

The announcer quieted the congregation with raised hands before speaking. "The Treaty of Stillwater has been assembled to announce the union of two nations. His majesty the crowned prince, Dean Winchester, is henceforth betrothed to Castiel Novak, prince." Everyone applauded and Dean tried not to roll his eyes. 

"Now we will hear from the betrothed on the engagement, starting of course with prince Novak."

Dean, who was leaning his chin on his gloved knuckles, turned to look at Castiel, as did everyone else in the room. 

Castiel gave Dean a small nod and a smile before turning to pay attention to the announcement. Oh how he wished he hadn't. Michael had neglected to inform him that he would be required to make any kind of speech. He could feel everyone's eyes staring at him and he suddenly felt as though he wanted to throw up all over again. He stood slowly, giving the room a respectful nod.

"T-This, ah-hem, this eng-gagement is t-the start o-of a n-new--" Castiel had no idea what to say. His words came out jilted and forced as he stuttered and stammered his way through. He could feel Michael glaring at him with every word he messed up. Public speech had never been his strong point and if Michael wanted him to be prepared than he should have written something for him. 

Dean watched Castiel as he began to crash and burn, running his gloved fingers along his chin, looking at Michael staring ice up at his brother. 

"Era," Dean interrupted, standing and snatching Castiel's hand, both for show, and to ground him, hoping it was comforting. Dean turned on one of those charming smiles that never failed to make the room turn in his favor. "We are honored to be playing such a pivotal part in the union of our two great nations. Too long have our countries been at odds with one another when we can so obviously be prosperous as allies. This union will ensure both the prosperity, and the safety, of our people. And we are proud to be able to serve our countries." He quickly picked up his wine glass hand held it up. "To the union of our great nations." 

The people, of course, followed suit and raised their glasses and cheered or applauded. Dean smiled and leaned toward Castiel, but didn't look at him, "You okay?" He asked out of the side of his mouth. 

Castiel tried to pretend that his heart hadn't almost exploded when Dean took his hand. It was almost sad that even that was new to him. He felt like a preteen girl.

"I'm fine," he assured Dean quickly, smiling as though nothing had happened, "Michael had not informed me a speech would be required and it is not my strongest suit." He caught his older brother's eye for a moment and tensed on instinct, immediately turning away to smile at other patrons. "Thank you for helping me."

"We're in this together," Dean said simply before sitting down. 

"What was that?" John sneered quietly, pulling Dean by his coat so no one would hear him. 

"I was giving a speech," Dean defended. "Everyone seemed to enjoy it." 

"You didn't let him speak!"

"He didn't want to speak." 

John threw the toe of his boot into Dean's shin, but Dean had been expecting it so he didn't even flinch, just exhaled through his nose and sat back in his chair, propping his elbow up on the arm of his chair. 

Castiel could see the look of anger painted on the king's face as he pulled Dean closer to him and hoped that he wasn't in any trouble because of him. 

"You could've ruined everything!" Michael hissed through his teeth, his expression one of nightmares. To any other, it would look as though he was merely congratulating his younger brother, a benign smile on his face, but Castiel could see the pure fury in his eyes. 

"You didn't warn me," Castiel hissed back, his own false smile in place, "Maybe if you let me out every now and again--"

"You would wreak havoc across our kingdom," Michael cut him off. They stared at each other for a moment before plates of food were placed in front of them and they didn't have to speak of it any more. Castiel knew that some of his personality was all his own, but certain things he did blame on Michael's keeping him locked away. His lack of ability in public situations was one of those things.

"So, your majesty," Dean said, leaning forward to address Michael and make him stop glaring at Castiel. "The alchemists guild, I've heard, has made huge strides in both healing and weaponry this past year."

"Yes," Michael said coolly, his features complacent. "You will gain many advantages with this union, Dean, but I assure you that the secrets of the Alchemists Guild will not be one of them."

Dean laughed good-naturedly. He was all-too accustomed to playing the fool. No one expected Dean to be smart, and Dean found he liked to be underestimated. "I don't know what I would do with them even if you did give them to me," Dean said with a laugh, "I don't even know how to spell Alchemy." 

John kicked him again and Dean almost dropped his spoon back in his soup, but recovered quickly by clearing his throat. He was going to have quite a bruise; his father was a good aim. 

"Yes," Michael said in a low tone. "Well... we all have our strong suits, I suppose."

"Indeed," Balthazar chimed from a few seats down. He didn't fear Michael, and he certainly didn't fear John. "Did you know that when his highness took up the position of general the first thing he did was eliminate the draft?"

"Really?" Anna, Michael’s wife, asked, "How do you fill out your armies without mandatory service?"

"They volunteer," Dean said simply, "Mandatory service will always lead to traitors and saboteurs. The people of Winchester love their country and volunteer to protect it."

"Interesting," Anna said, nudging Michael with her elbow, "You seem very devoted to your people."

"And so I am," Dean said with a nod, "A country is only as strong as the hearts of its people."

"That's ridiculous," Michael all but sneered, "Love does not breed strength, but weakness."

Dean tensed, he was not one to let insults to his military go unchecked, but he didn't want to cause trouble. Who was Michael to insult how he led his military? This marriage was in place specifically so that Novak gained the army it so desperately needed. 

"Agree to disagree, I suppose," Dean decided to say. He didn't want his pride to affect the evening, or Castiel. If Michael was anything like John, he wouldn't take his anger out on the source, but on the weakest person around. 

Castiel sat quietly, as Michael had instructed him to, not offering his own opinions unless it was asked of him. After all, "a wife never spoke unless spoken to." It did, however, give Castiel a chance to observe. Despite the treaty, things did indeed seem very tense or at least Michael was making them so. He was never very good at being anything but condescending. He noticed Dean's momentary fumble with his silverware, but hadn't caught anything that could have caused it. It was interesting to see how he withdrew from the argument, even though Castiel could see him itching to his people's defense. Michael had a way of getting a rise out of people and causing them to make trouble for themselves. 

"Castiel," Balthazar said into the silence, causing the prince to look up from his plate, "How do you feel about his highness's choice to eliminate the draft?" Castiel gave his friend a venomous look. That kind of question could get him in deep trouble.

"I feel that it is his choice to do with his kingdom as he wishes and it is not my place to interject," he answered stiffly. Michael gave him a small nod that only caused him to stiffen further. Though he was glad he had not made a mistake, obeying Michael still made his skin crawl.

Dean sighed. He couldn't blame Castiel for trying to cause as few waves as possible. 

"It is to be your country as well, in two weeks time," Balthazar pushed with a casual laugh, "It will indeed be your place to interject after that. Do you intend to stay silent for the rest of your life?" 

"What Castiel does after the marriage will be our business, Balthazar," Dean warned, "I know you find it difficult to mind your own business, but please feel free to do so now." 

Balthazar raised his eyebrows with a sigh. John kicked Dean under the table again. He winced and cleared his throat, putting in effort not to look at his father. He thought John might have broken the skin this time. 

Castiel glanced at Dean again, eyes skittering over him. He had winced again, almost imperceptibly, but Castiel had seen it. He had no idea what could be causing it. Perhaps he didn't like the food, though it didn't seem to happen after he ate. It was after he spoke. It suddenly occurred to Castiel that the king was not participating very much in the conversation. In fact, it seemed as though he was not paying attention at all. In a similar fashion, Dean seemed to be ignoring his father. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Castiel brushed it away. It wasn't possible. 

"Castiel will behave the way that is required of him," Michael said firmly, giving his younger brother a sharp look. Castiel clenched his jaw. He hated the way Michael spoke as if he wasn't there.

"I say, there certainly seem to be a lot of opinions about how my betrothed is to behave once we are married," Dean said as he ate, "Though as it turns out, none of them actually matter at all once we are wed. Castiel will be a prince of Winchester in two weeks time, and how he behaves will be entirely up to him."

"Castiel's loyalties will lie with Novak, Dean."

"I didn't say they wouldn't, Majesty," Dean defended. "Just that his behavior as a person, and as a husband, will be none of your concern." 

Michael exhaled a cold breath, his hands clenching into fists. 

John leaned into Dean. "It would be wise to keep your mouth shut before you ruin this entire merger!"

"I will not just sit here while he is treated like cattle!"

"It is none of your concern!"

"You made it my concern!"

Again John kicked him, but this time he hid it much more poorly as his anger got the best of him. Dean thought his shin might have shattered. He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw against the pain, his hands tightening into fists on the table. 

"As the dinner has concluded," The announcer said, "We welcome our guests back to the ballroom for dancing and after dinner spirits." 

Dean watched as others started to stand, and knew that if he stood he couldn't show a limp because if he did it would only be worse for him later. He stood beside his father's chair, who lingered in his seat with the express intention of making Dean stand on a wounded leg for as long as possible as punishment. Sam, who had seen it too many times went to stand beside Dean. 

"It's okay, Sam," Dean said softly. "Go to Ellen."

There was no hiding that. Castiel could see that Dean was in pain and it had to have something to do with the king. The more Dean spoke or disagreed with him, the harder it had been for Dean to hide. Castiel refused to stand there and let it continue to happen. 

"Michael, I am feeling rather unwell," he said quietly, eyes downcast, head bowed, "I would ask that Dean may escort me to my chambers." 

"That is highly inappropriate," Michael said immediately.

"I would not ask that you yourself be taken away from the proceedings," Castiel insisted, "And I'm sure Dean has naught but honorable intentions." Michael looked at him for a moment, seemingly considering his options.

"I will expect to see Dean again once he has ensured you're in place for the night," he said sharply.

"Of course," Castiel agreed quickly before turning to Dean and holding out his arm. "My lord," he said quietly, gesturing for him to come along. He knew that he could give Dean something that would get him through the rest of the night if it were what he so wished.

Dean cocked his head to the side, curious as to what was going on. He looked to Michael then back to Castiel. He wasn't about to cause more trouble by denying Castiel the request, making problems for him. So he bowed gracefully. "It'd be an honor, Majesty," he said before turning to his father and excusing himself, who looked none too pleased. 

Dean took Castiel's arm and walked as if nothing was wrong. If you didn't know better, you wouldn't know he was wounded at all. He led Castiel down the hallway that brought them to his room. Smiling warmly at anyone who spoke to them as they walked. 

"Is everything alright?" he asked, once they were out of earshot, making their way down the hallway. "Are you unwell?"

"No," Castiel said quietly, just in case anyone was lingering around, "But you are." He shoved away his own discomforts for the time being and took Dean's arm so that it wrapped around his shoulders and the taller man could lean on him before putting a hesitant arm around his waist to steady him. "Please walk in a way that is of most comfort. I know you're hurt though I won't say anything if you wish," Castiel said as he nodded his head in a gesture for Dean to walk with him, "I have something that will make it easier to bear for the rest of the night."

"Am I so bad at hiding it?" he said with an embarrassed laugh as he finally let his limp show a little, "You needn't worry yourself over me, Majesty. Pain is something I am accustomed to dealing with." 

"You hide it well, my lord. I am just better at observing," Castiel said lightly, a small smile on his face, "And accustomed or not, if there is a better option you should take advantage of it." He chose not to mention how the king should not have caused him pain in the first place. That was a much more serious discussion for another time, if ever. 

Dean laughed a little. "Very well," he said with a sigh as they came to his chambers, "I am... sorry if I caused you any trouble just now. I find that I do not get along with your brother very well, and have a... well... a strong distaste for the way he speaks of you as if you are cattle to be auctioned off to the highest bidder." He shook his head. "I can't even imagine treating Sam with such disdain. He is my whole heart."

"There is no need for such distaste in my name," Castiel said with a shake of his head as he opened the door and brought Dean over to sit on the bed, "He speaks in such a way about everyone. He likes to keep those around who can benefit him, and if they cannot benefit him where they are, he will send them to a place where they will." Castiel did not waste time before getting on his knees before Dean and removing the shoe on his injured leg before rolling up his pant. There was a small amount of blood and a severe bruise beginning to form. "I will return in a moment, my lord," Castiel said quietly before standing. He fetched a shirt from his bag that no one would notice if it became any dirtier. He changed in the bathroom, laying out the top of his suit nicely before gathering towels and water and a jar of a healing salve that he had created himself. "Sam is very lucky to have a brother like you," he said upon returning, immediately setting to work at cleaning Dean's small outward wound. He knew that it was within the shin where the true damage lay.

"I do as well as I can," Dean said, wincing against the pain. "It is the least I can do for him. Our father is not exactly..." he cleared his throat. "Anyway. Family is important to us in Winchester." He winced again. "I know you are playing the mouse while in the company of your king, I imagine he expected as much from you and will make it difficult for you if you don't comply. But it is my hope that... well..." He winced again before adjusting his seat. "When you are with me, at least, I hope that you can be yourself. I have no illusions about love, but I would like us to be partners if nothing else." He touched a gloved knuckle under Castiel's chin. Not hard, feather light, as if it wasn't there at all, only doing it to get Castiel to look up at him and putting his hand back in his lap. "I will always treat you with respect. Of that you have my word." 

Castiel felt his face heat up ever so slightly against his will upon hearing Dean's words. He ducked his face down quickly to prevent Dean from seeing, focusing on gently cleaning the wound instead. "Thank you," he responded, "I must admit, it takes a weight from my shoulders to hear that." Balthazar's words suddenly came back to him and the blush on his face only worsened. "I know there are many things in our cultures that are... different," he said slowly, unsure of how exactly he should be phrasing this, "But I will strive to assimilate myself in any way that pleases you." He knew that that was very vague and open ended, but he had no idea what Dean was looking for in this union.

"If you wish to please me, than I request only that you please yourself," he said with a smile. "I have no desire to be in a partnership with someone who is subservient to me. I don't even allow my guards to act in such a manner. I ask only for your respect, both in public and private. To ask for more would be rather hypocritical of me." He tilted his head to the side as he observed him cleaning his wound. He really was attractive. What a shame he was doomed to a celibate marriage to him. A celibate marriage to someone you aren't attracted to would be easy enough. It becomes somewhat more difficult when you were attracted to the person you were entitled to sex with, but who didn't want it. Dean had never taken sex from someone who did not willingly give it, and he wasn't about start. Sex was not worth trading honor for. He knew no one expected him to be faithful, especially not in a celibate marriage, playboy that he was, but honor was much more important than his desires. 

"I desire to become a person that your people will not view as an outsider," Castiel said honestly, "For that, I fear there is much that I must learn and I simply ask that you be patient with me as I do." It would be a huge undertaking for Castiel, for someone who was barely allowed to communicate with anyone outside of his own family. For someone who's physical contact was limited to polite handshakes. There was a small part of him that was curious. A small part that wondered what it would all be like. Being permitted to speak without being told what to say first. Being allowed to look someone in the eye as he challenged him or her. Initiating a hug, or even a kiss. Parts of Castiel thrummed with excitement, while other sides of him wished to run and hide. However, Castiel had never really been one to shy away from obstacles. At least Balthazar was right. When the time came, Dean was indeed very attractive. He undid the top to the jar of salve and set to spreading gently across the expanse of Dean's shin. It would absorb into the skin and take away the pain almost immediately, but the healing would take more time. 

"Of course. If you're ever uncomfortable you need only tell me." He raised his leg to look at the wound that didn't hurt anymore. "Hot damn, what is that? It's amazing."

"A healing salve found in our kingdom," Castiel said with a small smile as he stood, "Michael would not approve of me showing it to you. Secrets are his favorite things to keep."

"Well I will take it to my grave then," Dean said with a smile as he stood. "I should uh... I should get back to the party before Michael comes asking for my head," he said with a smile, turning to leave. He opened the door and paused before turning around. "Now that I think about it, there is something that I would ask of you," he leaned on the doorframe as he spoke. "May I call you Cas?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. "Cas," he said again, smiling this time, "I rather like it. Rolls off my tongue nicely."

"You may," Castiel said with a shy smile. No one had ever given him a nickname before. It felt nice. "I hope you enjoy yourself for the remainder of the night."

He sighed dramatically. "I suppose I will just have to make due," he said with a smile before bowing. "Goodnight, Cas," he said, closing the door softly and strolling back down the hallway, hands in his pockets. He found that he was smiling as he made his way back into the ballroom. 

"Wipe that stupid grin off your face," Balthazar teased. "Or people are going to think you shagged."

"Maybe we did," Dean teased back. 

Balthazar laughed. "Wishful thinking on both our parts," Balthazar said. "He's a good boy, Dean. I expect you to be good to him." 

"You know I will be, Balthazar. If you know me at all."

"I mean, if you don't stay faithful-"

"What makes you think I won't be?"

Balthazar raised his eyebrows. "It would be only natural for you to try to sire an heir, Dean. And I know you are not the type to take sex from someone unless they want it and it's very probable that Cassie may never want it. It would be unfair to expect you to-"

"Enough, Balthazar," Dean said, putting a hand up. "You worry about nothing. I will take a celibate life before I take a dishonorable one. I keep my promises. Why should wedding vows be any different?"

"Oh, you poor thing," Balthazar sighed. "You poor, sweet, noble thing. My heart goes out to you."

"Keep your heart," Dean said with a laugh, "I am just relieved that he seems to be a good man. He is kind to Sam. That is all I can ask. You and he have been friends long?"

"Since he was born, like I said. He is very dear to me, though I mourn that I never got him to loosen up a little. Michael kept him under wraps."

"Perhaps you should come back to Winchester with us. I assume you intend to come to the ceremony in a few weeks, yes? You may as well travel back with us instead of going all the way back to Novak and then all the way to Winchester within the month."

Balthazar tilted his head mischievously. "Why, Dean, I daresay you want my company."

"Do not flatter yourself," Dean teased back. "I merely think your presence will put Cas at ease. He will be alone in a new land with no one he knows well. I think he would be relieved to have someone close to him along. Even someone as troublesome as you."

"That is incredibly kind of you. I will ask Cassie immediately if he likes the idea, and if he does I would be honored to stay in Winchester and drink all your wine and bed all your women."

"Well, at least someone will be doing it," Dean said with a laugh, bowing as Balthazar dismissed himself to go check on Castiel. 

Castiel shed his suit pants and changed into something more comfortable before flopping down onto his bed with the book that he had brought with him into the room. He was alone for maybe ten minutes before a knock sounded at his door. He answered it to see Balthazar smirking leaning against the doorframe.

"Already inviting him to your room, you little minx?" Balthazar teased, letting himself into Castiel's room.

"You know it wasn't like that," Castiel sighed, closing the door behind him.

"But does he?" Balthazar teased despite the fact that he knew very well Dean had no intention of pushing Castiel into anything. Castiel froze, suddenly a bit unsure of himself.

"If it is something he desires then I will strive to provide it for him," Castiel said slowly. Balthazar blinked, completely surprised. He'd never expected something like that to come out of his friend's mouth.

"You really want this to work, don't you?" he said seriously, watching Castiel's face.

"It would definitely be preferable," Castiel said with a shrug.

"Well, I'll be there to protect you from the big bad sex drive, Cassie," Balthazar said, clapping a hand on Castiel's shoulder, "Your intended has invited me to join you until the wedding." Castiel was a little surprised by the relief he felt. He hadn't realized how apprehensive he had been about going to a new land all on his own.

"I'm sure I'm more than capable of protecting myself," Castiel huffed, "And with time, I hope for Dean's sake that I won't need protection. I know how he preferred to live his life before this marriage and I hope to make him happy with time."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate your efforts whether you're successful or not," Balthazar soothed, "Now get some rest. I hear we leave rather early in the morning." Castiel gave his friend a soft smile before escorting him to the door and bidding him goodnight. He did indeed have a long day ahead of him.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean avoided his father and Michael for the rest of the evening before seeing an exhausted Sam leaning on Bobby's leg. He went and scooped the boy into his arms and headed back toward Sam's room to put him to bed. 

"I like him," Sam said sleepily as he got into his sleep clothes and crawled into bed. 

"I like him too," Dean said with a smile, sitting in the chair beside the bed. 

"Are you going to stay? Until I fall asleep?"

"Don't I always?" 

Sam smiled and lay down. "I hope we'll all be happy."

Dean ran an affectionate hand over Sam's hair. "Me too, Sammy. Me too."

Dean knew how Sam had nightmares and how their father refused to let him sleep with a stuffed animal or with Dean because 'men do not fear anything.' So when they weren't home, Dean stayed with him. He sat in the chair and ran the events of the evening over in his head. He liked Castiel. He was a good man. Perhaps everything was not as hopeless as he'd originally thought. He was obviously not like Michael, and Dean found himself eternally grateful for that. 

He fell asleep in the chair in his party clothes, though he had taken the jacket off. When he awoke the sun had already risen and Dean leapt to his feet and snatched his jacket to get to his room. Like he'd feared the maids were already there and had no doubt noticed his bed wasn't slept in and that he was only just then arriving, wearing his clothes from last night. Dean groaned and ran a hand down his face as they scurried out of his room and Dean slammed the door behind them. Maids and servants loved to gossip and Dean always tried to keep it to a minimum. He gave it twenty minutes before the every person on the grounds heard that he hadn't slept in his room. "Shit," he said to himself as he changed for breakfast. It didn't matter. He had things to do. 

He made his way out with Sam to breakfast with their father, who shot a wicked glare at him. 

"Walking on that leg rather well," he said as he ate. 

"Perhaps you're loosing your touch," Dean teased as he sat. 

"Where did you sleep?"

He knew better than to throw Sam under the buss so he only exhaled, glaring at the servants in the room. "You should know that I do not kiss and tell, father."

"I don't care what you do," he sneered. "Just do not mess up this union. Winchester needs this."

"I know, John."

\--

Castiel was jolted from sleep by his door being slammed open. Michael stormed in, a look like Castiel had never seen on his face. In seconds, his older brother was at the side of his bed, hand fisted in the front of Castiel's shirt, lifting him up. 

"Was he here?" Michael screamed.

"What do you mean?" Castiel asked, eyes wide with confusion as he tried to pull Michael's hand away.

"Prince Dean did not spend the night in his own chambers," Michael spat, throwing Castiel back on the bed, "Was he here?"

"Of course not!" Castiel yelled back, trying to pretend that the news did not make his heart sink just a bit. Like lightening, Michael struck out, a sharp crack echoing through the room as his hand met with Castiel's cheek. 

"Do not lie to me!" Michael yelled. Castiel was too angry to be surprised that Michael had hit him for the first time in his life. 

"Do not treat me like a whore when I have done nothing wrong!" Castiel screamed, standing to match his brother's glare. The room filled with tense silence before Michael turned on his heel and left. Castiel was seething. He knew that his brother thought many things of him, but he had assumed that Michael knew him better than that at least. Apparently not. Castiel was suddenly glad that he was leaving. 

He changed for breakfast, not even bothering to check his reflection in the mirror. His hair never truly sat flat anyway. A soft knock echoed at his door and Castiel opened it to see Gabriel.

"You okay, little brother?" he asked, a lopsided smile on his face, his eyes filled with worry.

"I'm fine," he reassured him, closing the door as he stepped out into the hallway, "Michael and I just had a disagreement.”

"I can see it on your face," Gabriel tried to joke.

"Is it bruising?" Castiel asked, poking at his cheek. It honestly didn't hurt that much anyway.

"Nah, just a little red," Gabriel said easily, "I doubt it'll bruise. Michael always did hit like a girl." Castiel chuckled slightly. He was going to miss Gabriel if none of his other family. 

They entered the breakfast room together and Castiel ignored the whispers he could hear from the maids. Gossipy things they were, though Castiel supposed he would do the same if he had nothing else he was permitted to do. He took his seat next to Dean, just as he had at dinner the previous night. 

"Good morning," he said quietly.

"Good morning," Dean said with a smile before his expression dropped. His jaw set. "Your face," he said softly, easily covering his voice under the sound of the servants buzzing about. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Castiel said with a disarming smile and a small wave of his hand, "I was simply met with an accusation that I would not sit down and take." For the most part, he let Michael yell at him and act like a child when things did not go as he had planned, but there were some things where even Castiel had to draw the line.

Dean ran his hand down his face, knowing almost instantly what had happened. He had already heard the rumors. "I don't suppose this has to do with me not sleeping in my chambers?" he asked with and exasperated sigh, not even needing an answer to know what had happened. "It's not what you think."

"We are not yet married," Castiel said, his smile now slightly forced, "You do not owe me any kind of explanation." He ignored the look he could see Balthazar giving him from a few seats down and simply set about eating his breakfast.

Dean rubbed his chin with a sigh. "Married or not I've given you my word to respect you. Spending the evening with some tawdry chamber maid certainly wouldn't fit that bill." He sighed and leaned on his elbow. "Regardless that I ... can't exactly tell you where I was, I do hope you'll believe me when I say I was not where everyone seems to think I was." He shrugged. "Though you owe me no trust so I won't blame you if you don't believe me." Dean pushed his plate away and stood, politely excusing himself and making his way outside. Sam deflated, looking rather on the brink of tears. 

Castiel sighed, pushing his own plate away as well though he remained in his seat. Dean had not yet given him reason not to trust him and he had definitely seemed earnest enough. There had to be a reason that Dean could not tell Castiel where he had spent the night and Castiel would need to have faith in that. It was then that he looked up and saw the look on Sam's face. 

"Sam," he called softly, trying to get the boy's attention, "Would you like to come for a walk with me?" He smiled kindly, hoping he could make the boy feel better.

Sam looked at his father, who simply glared. Sam nodded and quickly climbed out of his seat as they walked away together. 

"Dean says you don't like to touch, and that if I was gonna I should ask if it's alright because I don't want to make you uncomfortable so..." Sam said, folding his hands over each other. "So... can I hold your hand?" 

"Of course you may," Castiel said with a smile, taking Sam's hand tightly in his own. It was still a bit foreign, but he felt that he was beginning to get used to it. "In my kingdom, touching isn't as widely accepted as it is in Winchester," he explained, "It is more of something done in private between married couples. Michael kept me locked away like an evil dragon, so I'm quite unaccustomed to it. I'm hoping to change that for Dean's sake."

"Dean likes to touch people," Sam said with a small laugh. "He's always putting me on his shoulders or patting my head. He likes to hug and fight and shake hands. I hope I'm like him when I'm older," he said with a sigh. "You're not mad at him are you? Because of what the servants are saying?"

"I trust Dean," Castiel said firmly, "Though I wish he could tell me where he was, I have faith that he has a good reason not to." He suddenly felt a little strange talking about this with someone so young and he tried to continue in as vague a manner as possible. "Our marriage will be very different from Dean's previous way of life," he said slowly, "And until I can accustom myself to how he likes to... express himself, I would not want to restrict his happiness should he choose to want to continue it."

Sam looked around conspiratorially, making sure no one was listening. "Dean says you can keep secrets," Sam said softly, pulling on Castiel's hand to get him to come down to eye level. He took a deep breath through his nose. "He was with me all night because I get these nightmares and they're worse when we're not at home but father says I should be a man and I shouldn't be afraid so Dean promised me he wouldn't tell because if my father finds out he'll be so angry with me so you can't tell anyone because father will be angry and he'll take it out on Dean because he doesn't let me be alone with father because he knows I'm afraid and so I don't want Dean to get hurt because I'm a scaredy cat." He spat it all out in one breath and then took a deep breath after he was done talking. 

"I promise I will never tell anyone," Castiel said seriously. Dean was such a good man. He sacrificed his own well being to ensure that Sam would be safe and comforted. "You know, when I have a nightmare, I like to read my favorite story. Perhaps I could share it with you sometime."

Sam grinned, nodding furiously. "I'd like that," He said squeezing Castiel's hand. "You should go tell Dean you're not mad at him. He likes you, he told me so. He really, really doesn't want you not to like him." 

"Do you know where I might find him?" Castiel asked immediately. He didn't want Dean to think he was angry because he really wasn't. "Do you need me to bring you somewhere first?"

"No I'll... I'll be fine. I should go get my things from my room anyhow. Dean probably went outside to get ready to leave. He's probably with Baby. Be careful though. She's a monster."

\--

After brushing down Baby's fur, Dean climbed up into her saddle. Literally climbed. Baby was a horse in the same way a lioness was a housecat. She stamped her feet impatiently, her jet-black fur marred from old scars from when she was young, before Dean had found her. Her tail and mane were silver like the tails of comets and Dean found it much more enjoyable to ride back to Winchester rather than be trapped in a carriage with his father for six hours. 

He felt strong atop Baby. She was huge, true enough, but she answered to no one but Dean, and he loved her. He ran her around the front garden, jumping her over the corral fence and laughing as she trotted around happily underneath him. Whenever he needed to clear his head or sort through all the crap weighing him down, he rode. They were quite the scene to behold together, especially when metal-plated and ready for war. They could feel one another moving and she always knew how to jostle him out of his own head. 

Castiel got a little lost but eventually he found his way to where all the horses were being held. He had no idea what Sam had meant when he said that 'Baby' was a 'monster', but he found out as soon as he turned the corner and saw the biggest horse he had ever seen in his life. His eyes widened and he took a few steps back on instinct. Castiel had never really done all that well around horses. They never seemed to like him very much and he definitely did not want to anger a horse that looked like that. 

"That is quite an impressive horse," Castiel said warily, still standing a good distance away.

Dean's attention snapped up and smiled when he saw Castiel had sought him out. "Hey, Cas,” he said, bringing the horse over to where he was standing, noting how the man tensed. He hopped down from the horse with an 'oof' and told her to go back to her stable, which she obediently did but gave him a defiant snort on the side of his face just for good measure. Dean laughed and pushed her face away before making the rest of the way to Cas. "She looks scarier than she is," he said with a laugh, hoping up on the fence. "And she didn't look like that when I named her Baby, trust me."

"Animals have never liked me very much," Castiel said with a nervous chuckle as he eyed Baby going back to the stables. He let the silence go on for a moment before looking up at Dean. "Sam suggested that I come find you," he admitted, "He wanted me to make sure that you knew I wasn't mad."

"I'm glad to hear it, though you didn't have to do that. You owe me nothing, Cas. I just didn't want to disappoint you so early in our engagement. I have the rest of our lives to disappoint you," he teased. 

"I sure hope not," Castiel teased back. He came a little closer to the fence and stood in front of where Dean sat. "Your brother cares a great deal about you and me being happy. He actually asked if he could hold my hand when we went for a walk because he didn't want to make me uncomfortable."

Dean smiled, one of those genuine smiles that reached his eyes. "He's a good boy," Dean said with a sigh. "He's got such a big heart and he just wants us all to be a happy family so badly. Like we were... before my mother died." He exhaled and clapped his hands between his legs. "You don't know what it means to me that you go out of your way for him. He's so full of hope and love and I just want to be everything he thinks I am. He deserves the best."

"He's very hard not to love," Castiel said with a smile, "I can already feel myself wanting to do everything to make him happy." He paused for a moment, glancing up at Dean a bit shyly. "Of course, I hope to make you happy as well."

Dean smiled, hopping down off the fence and leaning on it. "If he is happy, and you are happy, then I will want for nothing." He said with a grin. He slowly lifted his hand so as not to startle Castiel when he put it on his shoulder affectionately. "I think that if our kings simply get out of our way, we will do very well together, Cas. You've given me great hope for the future of our union, and I will do everything in my power to make sure you are content in it."

Castiel glanced at Dean's hand for a moment and felt butterflies rise up in his stomach again, but these were much different from before. Slow and unsure, Castiel lifted his own hand to place it over Dean's. He was proud of himself for how quickly he was progressing with physicality. "As I will do for you," he said with a soft smile. Dean was right. This union was indeed looking to be a rather happy one.

Dean grinned and opened his mouth as if to say something, but was interrupted when his father bellowed for him. Dean tried not to roll his eyes. He turned back to Castiel. "I hope you don't mind that I've arranged for Sam to ride with you and Balthazar. I don't like him to be alone with..." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, he'll sleep for most of the trip since I know you and Balthazar will want to talk about things of a rather sordid nature," Dean said with a smile, as he backed up toward the carriages. 

Castiel's face went a little pink at the implication, but he smiled nonetheless. Balthazar would no doubt try to give him advice and such that he definitely wasn't ready to use. Castiel hoped that maybe the presence of a child, even a sleeping one, would help to censor his colorful friend just a bit. "I don't mind at all," he reassured Dean, "I suppose I should go get my things and bid my brothers goodbye." Castiel gave Dean a nod and another smile before turning and heading back towards the estate.

Dean bowed as he walked before turning and jogging to catch up with his father and load up the carriages.

"Can't I ride with you?" Sam asked, tugging on Dean's sleeve. 

"You'll be with Castiel and Balthazar. Don't you want to get to know them?"

"I suppose..."

"I have to lead the guards, Sam. You know that." 

Dean hefted the boy onto his shoulders, ignoring the protests from his father before trotting him around the carriage and waiting to help Balthazar and Castiel load up their luggage. 

His goodbyes with Michael and Raphael were short and concise, holding no true feelings whatsoever. After being given a final warning not to mess anything up, Castiel went to find Gabriel.

"Off to Winchester," Gabriel said with a smile, "Exciting isn't it?"

"I suppose," Castiel said, "Though I am feeling a little apprehensive."

"You'll have Balthazar," Gabriel pointed out, "And I'll be there in two weeks for the ceremony." Castiel gave him a weak smile. The thought of the ceremony made him nervous all over again. "You'll be fine," Gabriel laughed before pulling him into a hug. Castiel tensed a bit, not having expected such a show of affection. "I'll miss you, little brother."

"I'll miss you as well, Gabriel," Castiel answered softly before awkwardly returning the hug. Gabriel pulled away with a laugh.

"You may want to get some tips from Balthazar on how to not be so stiff," he joked, "You know the ceremony is Winchesterian, right? The whole 'kiss the bride' thing is going to be a part of it."

"I know," Castiel said, "I'm sure it will be fine."

"It will be," Gabriel reassured him, "Now run along before you miss your carriage." Castiel gave him one last smile before meeting up with Balthazar to follow their things to the carriages, being permitted to only carry their smallest bags.

Dean grunted as he helped the servants hoist the heavier bags up onto the carriage, laughing uncomfortably when they told him how handsome he was and blah blah blah. He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat before climbing back up onto Baby. "All ready?" he asked as he saw Balthazar and Castiel approaching. "Sam is already out like a light. He's exhausted. But for my sake try not to put too scandalous ideas in his head while he sleeps," Dean teased. 

"You offend me, slightly, not really," Balthazar lilted. "How does that thing get bigger every time I see it."

"I do hope you're talking of my horse, Balthazar."

"What horse?" Balthazar teased back, one eyebrow cocked.

Castiel's eyes widened at Balthazar's playful banter. Though they had been friends for many years, Castiel doubted he would ever get used to the casual way that Balthazar regards things of a sexual nature. A call sounded from up front the declared they were ready to move. Castiel gave Dean a bit of a distracted smile, Gabriel's words running rampant in his head as he climbed into the carriage. 

"He's just worried about the ceremony," Balthazar said quietly, suddenly more serious, "I'm sure it's no secret to you that he has never kissed another, let alone in front of an audience. I overheard Gabriel mention it. Perhaps you two should talk about it when we stop to water the horses." He gave Dean a nod of his head before following Castiel into the carriage.

"Have you ever been to a Winchesterian marriage ceremony?" Castiel questioned once they had started moving.

"One or two, yes," Balthazar answered.

"What is it like?" Castiel asked, trying to appear as though he wasn't as anxious as he was.

"It is much like those of Novak, though there is a symbolic binding of hands and it is ended with a kiss, which I'm sure is what you're worried about," Balthazar said, smiling gently. He knew when to joke and when not to.

"If not for Michael, I may have ended up more like you and this would not be a problem," Castiel sighed.

"More like me?" Balthazar echoed, "You wound me. I am one of a kind."

"Indeed you are," Castiel said with a fond smile and a shake of his head.

"Speak with Dean about it," Balthazar suggested, "I'm sure he will soothe your worries." Castiel just looked out the window of the carriage, watching the scenery go by.

\--

Dean was heard shouting orders as he lead the guards, occasionally spurring Baby to do a lap around the caravan to make sure everything was in place, glancing into Castiel and Balthazar's carriage when he did just to see that they were riding comfortably. 

The caravan pulled to a stop by the only lake between Stillwater and Winchester to water the horses, and Sam, who had woken up, thrilled at the idea of getting to stretch his legs and swim. 

"Come on, Dean," Sam squealed, laughing and splashing in the water.

Dean laughed and shook his head from atop of baby. "I don't care how hot it is, I'd rather not go the next 2 hours in wet clothes."

"Take them off," Sam said as if it was the only natural idea. 

"Oh, yes, please do," Balthazar chimed as he exited the carriage to escort Castiel. "I haven't seen your tattoo in ages." 

Dean sighed and slapped his forehead. Balthazar and his big mouth. 

"Tattoo?" Castiel said, actually rather intrigued. He'd never met anyone with a tattoo before, though he had heard the process was rather painful. It must take great courage. 

"What about you, Cassie?" Balthazar said, turning back to face him, "Are you going to strip down for us? Lord knows I've seen it all before."

"Balthazar!" Castiel exclaimed, his face going bright red. It was rather hot out, but Castiel had never even thought that taking off any part of his clothing was an option. It certainly wasn't in Novak.

"Yes dear?" Balthazar answered cheekily, already beginning to take off his own clothing. Castiel turned his face away, only serving to make Balthazar laugh. "At least take off your shoes and dip your feet in the water," he prodded. Castiel just looked at him.

Dean hopped down from Baby so she could drink, then proceeded to throw his weapons to the ground and lift his shirt over his head, revealing not just everything from his hipbones up, but the tattoo of his country’s symbol proudly displayed under his left collarbone. He kept his pants on as he slowly waded into the water, meeting Balthazar who was giving him an appraising look. 

"My eyes are up here," Dean mocked, splashing Balthazar. 

"And I couldn't care a fig for them when you're shirtless," he teased, splashing back. 

"You don't want to start this with me," Dean warned. 

Balthazar pushed him.

Dean wrapped his arms around his neck and through him over his shoulder and dunked him into the lake. 

Castiel stood on the edge of the lake and watched them swim. Honestly, he couldn't help but agree with Balthazar. Dean shirtless was certainly a sight to see, but he stayed on the bank nonetheless. After a few minutes, Balthazar came splashing out of the lake to stand beside him.

"Are you going to stand here all day?" Balthazar panted, a smile on his face as water dripped from his hair. 

"No, I assume we'll be continuing on our way before the day is out," Castiel answered sarcastically, looking out at the water. Had he been looking at Balthazar, he may have seen the mischievous glint in his eye. Without warning, Balthazar bent down and scooped Castiel over his shoulder. 

"Balthazar!" Castiel yelled, struggling against his friend's hold, "Balthazar! Put me down!"

"What was that?" Balthazar called back with a laugh, "Put you down? Well if you insist." He tossed Castiel off his shoulder and straight into the lake. Castiel broke the surface with a gasp, not having been prepared for the chilly water. His clothes were sopping wet, sticking to him everywhere as he stood there with a murderous look on his face. Forgetting propriety and manners, as he often did around his friend, Castiel launched himself at Balthazar, sending the blonde crashing into the water. He stood, shaking his hair out.

"We'll see how pleasant the rest of the ride is for you," he huffed.

Dean laughed, stepping between the two and clapping a hand on Castiel's shoulder. "I'll get some fresh clothes out for you," he said with a laugh. "If you want you can ride back with me. Whose company are you more wary of? Balthazar or my giant horse?" Dean gave him a teasing grin and ran his hands up through his hair to push the water out. 

"Balthazar is far more crafty, though I mean no offense to your horse," Castiel answered with a glare at Balthazar, "I would not mind riding with you." The blonde merely laughed and shook his own hair free of water. Unbeknownst to Castiel and Dean, he had been hoping for an outcome like this. Castiel looked back at Dean and suddenly found himself transfixed with the way the water shone on his skin and he caught himself staring for a moment before he came back into reality.

"See something you like?" Dean teased, one playful eyebrow arched. 

"I certainly do," Balthazar chimed. 

"Like food to the least pickiest eater ever," Dean added, trudging himself out of the water to get some clothes for Castiel. "Make ready," He called out over his shoulder, his voice booming across the small encampment to his men.

Castiel could feel his face growing hot, and it wasn't from the light of the sun. He followed Dean out of the water, Balthazar and Sam trailing behind them to get back into their clothes after drying off a bit. Castiel suddenly wasn't sure if riding the rest of the way with Dean would be the best idea, but he wasn't about to back out of it now. Balthazar would never let him hear the end of it if he did.

Dean commanded the troupes around while Castiel and Balthazar changed clothes, then pulled his green tunic back on and led Baby by the reins over to Castiel. "Hold out your hand," he instructed quietly to Castiel. 

Castiel tried to school his expression into something that wasn't as scared as he was feeling on the inside. Hesitantly, he extended his hand, his mind rushing with the worst-case scenarios already.

Dean quickly put a sugar cube in his palm and removed his hand before anyone could even see it. Baby snorted and huffed on his hand before glomping up the sugar cube with no small amount of noise. "This is Castiel," he said, petting her face as she ate her treat. "You be nice to him, you understand." She nudged her face against Castiel's shoulder and made a snorting noise. "Good," Dean said with a laugh. "Do you want to ride front of back?"

"Whatever is easier for you," Castiel said, still a bit shell shocked by Baby's easy acceptance of him. It suddenly occurred to him that riding in front would mean having Dean's arms wrapped around him but riding back would mean wrapping his own arms around Dean. In his annoyance at Balthazar, he somehow had managed to forget that.

"Don't you mean to be asking top or bottom?" Balthazar called with a wink before climbing into the carriage. Castiel would throttle him.

"I am regretting inviting him. Maybe once you're king you can exile him," Dean said with a laugh. "I think you'll feel safer sitting in front of me, but that means you have to get on first." He held a hand out as an offer to help him up. 

Castiel took a deep breath, looking up at Baby warily. He took Dean's hand and grabbed the front end of Baby's saddle. He placed his foot in the stirrup and hoisted himself up. 

"I've never been up this high before," Castiel said looking around curiously, "Michael preferred me in a carriage rather than on a horse."

Dean hoisted himself up behind Castiel. "Yeah you can almost see over the trees from her back," he said with a laugh as he pressed up against him from behind, wrapping his arms under Castiel's so he could reach the reins and turning the horse. "You okay?" 

Castiel could feel his body tensing at the unfamiliar sensation of having someone so close and he tried to force himself to relax. "I'm alright," he said quietly with a small nod, "Though I am a little unsure of where to put my hands." Butterflies were zooming around in his stomach again. He could feel Dean's warm chest against his back, his strong thighs against Castiel's own. It was strange to say the least.

"Hold the horn of the saddle here, or you can hold the reins if you want, as long as you don't try to steer," he said with a laugh, turning Baby and urging her into a trot. He turned and shouted for the caravan to move out, and winked at Balthazar as he passed the caravan. "Let me know if you get uncomfortable. Put your weight back on my chest. Try and relax. I won't let anything happen to you."

Castiel clasped the horn of the saddle beneath his fingers and took a deep breath before leaning into Dean a bit more. Perhaps this was better. Rather than standing on the edge like he had been at that lake, maybe throwing himself in wasn't a bad idea either. The ride was quiet for a while, Castiel unsure of what to say.

They rode in companionable silence for a few minutes, Dean trying not to get distracted from his duties and failing. He looked back at the caravan and was content that Benny was leading them well enough. "Want to fly?" He asked softly into Castiel's ear.

Castiel could feel the butterflies turn to jellyfish and his hands tightened a bit in their hold. He trusted that Dean would keep him safe and found himself nodding before completely thinking it through.

Dean grinned and turned into the meadow and needled Baby with his heel. "Come on, Baby," he called. Dean took the reigns in one hand and wrapped his other around Castiel's waist to keep him steady as Baby lurched into a sprint. Dean rocked up onto his feet for balance, holding Castiel steady against his chest as Baby moved like a hurricane over the meadow. He figured all of this was new to Castiel, but nothing else in the world felt like flying on the back of Baby, and he just hoped that Castiel found some joy in it. He tensed, trying to listen or feel for if Castiel was uncomfortable or afraid. 

Castiel had been a little surprised at first when Dean had wrapped an arm around his waist, but now? Now he couldn't remember ever feeling this exhilarated. The wind blew through his hair, the trees along the edge of the meadow rushed past in a blur. Castiel could feel the smile on his face as he let out an excited laugh. He'd never felt anything like this before.

The sound of Castiel laughing sent electricity through him. He'd been so closed off, so shut away from the world. Dean found himself wanting to show him more, expose him to new things and sensations and show him everything he'd been missing out on. He slowly pulled the horse to a stop at the top of a hill and let him settle. "See? Not so bad, is it?" 

"It was amazing!" Castiel exclaimed a bit breathlessly, a huge genuine smile on his face as he turned his head to look back at Dean, "I've never felt like that before."

Dean laughed just to see him so excited. He thought this would be a good opportunity to nonchalantly talk to Castiel about his nervousness over the kiss, assuming it had worked, which it had. "Well, good," he said with a grin. "I'm glad to hear it. I know that your new life in Winchester will take a lot of adjusting but... I think if you just give it a chance, you'll find none of it as quite as terrifying as you imagine it to be." He smiled at him, Baby stamping her feet under them. "I'll never make you do anything that will make you uncomfortable." 

Castiel turned back around, biting his lip, Balthazar's suggestion to speak with Dean about his anxieties repeating itself in his head. Perhaps now when they were alone would be the best time. He kept his face front, figuring it would be easier for him to bring it up without looking at Dean. "There are things I am looking forward to learning and changing," Castiel admitted, searching for the right words to begin this conversation, "And others that I'm rather... apprehensive about." He paused for a moment, unsure of how to proceed until he just decided it would be better to jump into it. "The wedding ceremony," he said slowly, looking down at his hands as they fiddled with the front of the saddle, "It should come as no surprise to you that I've never... I haven't... I have not yet kissed anyone yet and I will admit to being nervous about my first being in front of such a large audience." Castiel could feel his face going pink. He felt like a fool.

"Are you suggesting that you would like to practice first?" He teased, nudging him playfully. "Don't worry yourself over it, Cas. It's tradition to kiss the bride, but there won't be a bride at our wedding. If you don't want to kiss, no one is going to make you. So don't worry about it until the time comes and we'll do whatever it is you want to do, okay?" He laughed a little starting to bring Baby around and back to the caravan. "We're two betrothed men, Cas. No one expects us to fall in love. It's a political move. I will be perfectly content as long as we can be friends." 

"We may be perfectly content with whatever we please, but if everything does not go according to plan, Michael will be angry," Castiel said with a sigh, looking down at his hands clutching the saddle, "Though I suppose we'll have to see what feels right at the time." He had no idea his he would feel when the day finally came.

"It will be none of Michael’s business, Cas. When it comes down to it you will be my responsibility, not his. I will make sure Michael gets everything he wants so he won't have to impose himself on you." he wrapped an arm around Castiel's midsection hesitantly and sort of hugged him. "You're with me now, and I just want you to be happy. So just concentrate on that." 

Castiel stiffened for a moment before making himself relax into Dean's embrace. "Thank you," he said quietly. It was nice to have someone that cared for him in that way. Gabriel had never stood up to Michael despite how he tried to comfort Castiel. 

\--

Dean was content with the conversation, and the rode in relative silence before they came upon Winchester. It was a beautiful city. Not industrial like Novak, but simpler and full of life. He told the caravan to go around the front before trotting him and Cas behind the stables. Dean hopped down and then helped Castiel down before they went to meet the rest of the caravan. It was already evening, the nightlife buzzing from the city as they walked. 

Castiel whipped his head from left to right, intent on seeing everything he could. Winchester truly was as beautiful as he had heard. He was surprised how suddenly bereft he felt when Dean slid off from Baby's back. Castiel had grown used to the firm warmth behind him. "Your country is gorgeous," Castiel breathed in wonder.

"She certainly is," he said with a grin, putting Castiel's hand on the inside of his arm. "Once you get settled, Balthazar and I will take you out, show you the city. But rest up until then. My people are all going to want to meet you, shake your hand, stuff like that. So maybe wait until you're ready."

"It wouldn't do well of me to hide away from something that is seen as an activity even an infant can do," Castiel said firmly, "I shall greet them in the morning." He was proud of himself for taking Dean's arm without tensing or second-guessing.

"Getting quite bold with our affections, aren't we Cassie?" Balthazar said with a smirk as he sauntered up behind the two. Castiel couldn't stop the pink color on his cheeks as he turned to glare at his friend.

Dean punched Balthazar playfully. "Don't go in the morning. We'll go for dinner. I have to train with the guards in the morning, and I want to be with you when you go." 

"Alright," Castiel said with a smile, "Dinner."

"I'll tutor you," Balthazar teased with a wink, "Handshakes, kissing maidens hands, hugs, perhaps a little extra on the side."

"Balthazar!" Castiel chastised, sometimes not quite able to believe his friend's crudeness.

"Do not make me hurt you," Dean said, rather severely when he turned to Balthazar before replacing it with his easy smile. "I'll have someone show you to your rooms." And with that he turned and headed back to the servants, pointing to them as he helped take the luggage down. 

Balthazar whistled. "You work fast, Cassie," He said with a laugh. "He's already quite taken with you." 

"He is not," Castiel scoffed, "He is simply invested in the success of this union."

"Oh please," Balthazar laughed, "Did you see the look on his face when I joked about deflowering you even a little? He was quite serious."

"He simply wants us to be good friends," Castiel shot back, watching Dean with the servants, "He said so himself."

"We'll see how long that lasts," Balthazar said with a shake of his head. Two servants came up to them to lead them to their rooms and they parted ways.

\--

Dean went the rest of the night seeing to everything, getting luggage sent, getting Sam in bed, getting his father a fifth of whiskey... the usual. It was getting late when he realized he hadn't checked on Cas yet so he made his way to his room at the end of the hall, the one with the great view of the sunset and the meadow Dean liked to ride through. It was really the best room in the palace. He rapped his knuckles lightly on Castiel's door, not loud enough to wake him, but loud enough that he'd hear if he were awake. 

Castiel had just been slipping into a doze when he heard a light knock on his door. He slipped out of bed, his hair ruffled, sleeping clothes rumpled before opening the door. "Hello Dean," he said with a small smile when he saw who stood behind the door, rubbing the sleep out of his eye.

Dean winced. "I'm sorry, did I wake you? I just wanted to check on you, see that you were okay. I'll leave to sleep, I'm sorry." 

"No, no I wasn't asleep yet," Castiel said, unable to restrain the yawn that followed his words, "Was there something else you needed?"

Dean smiled, running his eyes over his form. "I wish I looked that good when I got out of bed," he said with a laugh. "No, no… I mean, do you like your room? Are you comfortable? Do you need anything?"

Castiel's face went red and he looked down at his feet before glancing up at Dean with a soft smile. "I'm sure you are very handsome when you wake up," he said quietly, "And everything is perfect. There is nothing more I could ask for."

"Good. Uh... good. I'll let you get to it then. I'm on the opposite end of the East hall there at the very end. If I'm not there, I'm in the war room working. So uh... never hesitate to come find me if you need something. Anything." 

"Thank you for going out of your way to make me feel welcome," Castiel said, unable to wipe the smile off his face, "I hope you have a good night's rest."

"Anytime," He said with a grin, putting his hands behind his back and bowing. "Goodnight, Cas," he said finally before strolling down the hallway back toward the war room, oddly content with himself as he went. 

Castiel stood in the doorway for a moment, watching Dean as he walked down the hall, a strangely content feeling in his stomach. He closed the door softly and climbed back into bed, excited for what tomorrow would bring.

\--

Dean's days usually went as follows: Practice - Sam - paper work. Sometimes food happened and even more rarely sleep happened. He sat in the war room that night, spinning his glasses between his fingers, much too distracted to actually get any work done. But if he was going out tomorrow night, he needed to get something done. He worked through the night, groaning when the sun came up and going downstairs and making his way to the arena. His guards would be showing up soon and he should make sure the equipment hadn't been left out on the rain. 

It was well after breakfast when Sam found Castiel, bounding into his open door excitedly. "Good morning!!'

"Good morning," Castiel said with a grin, turning to look at young Sam. His morning had been leisurely. Castiel had awoken naturally before wandering down for breakfast. It was apparently too late to eat with Dean, but early enough to avoid Balthazar. He had retreated to his room afterwards, enjoying the view from his windows.

"Dean's going to do a gauntlet," Sam said, looking like he was about to explode from excitement. "He hasn't done it in months and the guards think they can win because he's rusty from vacation and they're going to lose and I'm going to go watch and I want you to come watch!"

"Alright, alright," Castiel said with a laugh, standing up from his chair, "Lead the way." He loved Sam's excitement about his brother and was actually rather eager to see Dean in action himself.

Sam lit up and pulled Castiel out of the room, straight into Balthazar. 

"Where's the fire?" Balthazar asked, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

"We're going to watch Dean train," Sam said with that innocent excitement of his. 

"Indeed?" Balthazar said, raising his eyebrows at Castiel and rocking up onto his toes. "Well, not without me you aren't." 

"Yay!" Sam said, taking Balthazar’s hand in his other one. "Come on, I don't want to miss it. I’ve never missed a gauntlet."

"What in the great fiery hell is a gauntlet?" Balthazar asked Castiel quietly out of the side of his mouth. 

"I had been hoping to ask you," Castiel admitted as they were dragged along. Sam's energy could probably make the sun rise against its will. They finally came to a stop outside the training grounds where a fair few others had gathered to watch as well.

Dean was shouting orders through the rest of drills, shirtless and doing them along with the men, going down into a push up, standing, then jumping, then going back down into a push up. Dean generally ignored the people who gathered around to watch, except Sam of course. Girls with flowers to give him as a token, even some men sometimes. 

"Once they finish drills, they'll all chose weapons. Dean will usually use Demon Keras, which is two swords. Then they're going to form a big circle of all of them and free-for-all fight one another. They always all team up on Dean, though, because he always wins."

"What I wouldn't give to be lying on that ground," Balthazar muttered, eyeing Dean's movements with an inappropriately appreciative look on his face.

"Balthazar," Castiel scolded, giving a pointed look to the back of Sam's head before looking back up at his friend. Balthazar just waved his worries away before turning his focus back to Dean. Castiel sighed before looking towards him as well. He had never seen anyone train before. He had always been kept away from what little army they had, Michael wanting to "protect" him from their "brutish way of life". He almost snorted at the thought. It was surprising, just how small-minded Michael really was. He mentally counted the number of men that were training with Dean. Ten. Dean would be taking on ten men on his own. Castiel would be lying if he said he wasn't worried.

"Sir," a blonde woman and gruff man said as they jogged onto the arena. "Sam said you were going to do a gauntlet?"

"Hey Jo, yeah we are. Why you want in?"

"Hell yeah we want in," Benny said with a laugh. "Didn't you say you'd retire if you ever lost a gauntlet?" 

"I did. And as you can see I'm still here." Dean said with a mischievous grin. "Alright form up," Dean demanded. 

"We all know you can do a gauntlet," Jo teased, cocking out a hip. "Why don't we do it on the obstacle course?"

"What do you mean?" Dean asked turning around. "Like... combine the two?" 

"Yeah. If you're so cocky." 

Dean laughed. "You're on." 

Dean stood at the front of what looked like an obstacle course and throughout the obstacles there were soldiers peppered throughout it in groups of two or three. Dean rolled out his shoulders and neck before looking up to where Cas and Sam were sitting. 

Dean sprinted two or three steps before launching onto a set of monkey bars, easily crossing them by skipping every other bar. When he landed on the platform the blocked a punch from one of the soldiers waiting there tripped the other one, and used the force from the other's punch to throw him over Dean's shoulder and onto the flat of his back before jumping off and onto a rope wall. Again Dean climbed it easily but someone was waiting at the top. He laughed and said "Cheater" and victor tried to shake Dean off the rope but Dean planted his feet on the wall and ran, swiping the rope across Victor's legs and making him go ass over tea-kettle as Dean scaled the rest of the wall. He didn't bother to climb down, he slid, like he was surfing, down the wall and dispatched the three soldiers waiting for him at the bottom easily, though making sure none of them were hurt before sprinting onto the next section. So it went until he had crossed all 10 obstacles and dealt with all thirty of his soldiers. When he got to the final obstacle, Jo and Benny were waiting for him and they each had weapons. Jo with a Bo staff and Benny with two swords. Dean didn't see the weapons until he had already climbed up onto the plat form. 

"Really?" he said through a panting breath. But that was all he got to say before he had to duck, dodging blows from both sides and deflecting them with his forearms. Benny eventually swung wide, giving Dean the opportunity to snatch his arm and throw him into Jo. Benny recovered, but Jo had underestimated the platform and teetered on the edge. Benny charged and Dean ducked, grabbing his legs and throwing him over her back before charging the edge just in time to grab Jo by the wrist as she fell. Her staff clattered to the rocks below the platform and she looked back up at him. 

"You win," She said with a nervous laugh. 

"Yeah, obviously," Dean retorted with a grunt as he pulled her back up onto the platform. "You okay?" He asked once they were both lying safely on the wooden stage. 

"Yeah, thanks, Captain."

There had been more than one moment where Castiel had almost launched himself out of his seat with worry. It was quite difficult to sit still while watching someone getting ganged up on. Sam, however, seemed to be the complete opposite of worried, cheering and whooping along with the rest of the crowd. Castiel relaxed in his seat when Dean had won, clapping lightly with the rest of the crowd.

Dean and Jo laid on the platform for long minutes, panting. God, Dean thought that got harder every time he did it. When he finally got to his feet he climbed down and clapped hands with some of the guards, joking and pushing each other, not acting at all like a prince and his subjects but friends in the dirt. Dean looked up in the stands to find Sam and his expression dropped a little when he saw Cas and Balthazar, so he waved up at them. 

"Jesus did you see that?" Balthazar said to himself. "He's like... a god damn fairytale," He said through his teeth, waving down at Dean. "I'm incredibly jealous of you in this moment. You must tell me what that tattoo tastes like sometime."

Castiel couldn't even pretend to school his features into something normal. His jaw dropped and he turned to Balthazar with a scandalized look on his crimson face. His heart raced a bit at the idea, mouth going a little dry. "Balthazar, that is highly inappropriate," he said quietly, fixing his expression into something more normal.

Dean said goodbye to the rest of the men before grabbing a towel and making his way up the seats. "Well, well," he said with a grin. "What's going on here?" 

"They wanted to watch!" Sam said excitedly. "The gauntlet was awesome!"

"Hell yeah it was," Dean said with a laugh, ruffling his hair. 

"I must say, Dean... that was quite the alpha male display of your... prowess."

"Don't sound so excited," Dean teased with a grin. 

"It was impressive to watch," Castiel said with a smile, "You are very skilled."

"I've heard the battlefield isn't the only place he's skilled," Balthazar teased. Castiel ignored the way his face flamed up.

"Thank you," Dean said to Castiel, ignoring Balthazar. "Well I'm probably rather offensive so I’m going to go bathe and get ready to go out this evening."

"Yes, of course as shall we," Balthazar said. "We'll come find you when we're ready."

"Please do," he said, bowing to excuse himself. "Come on, Sam." 

Castiel gave him a returning bow before turning to glare at Balthazar. "Must you?" he asked, an exasperated sigh on his lips.

"Cassie, you should know me well enough to know that the answer is yes," Balthazar scoffed.

"I'm quite uncomfortable with how crassly you speak about him," Castiel stated firmly as they began walking back towards their rooms.

"Why?" Balthazar challenged, "Maybe you should come out of your shell a little more. It's clear you're interested."

"I'm not ready to be interested," Castiel said in a small voice. 

"You will be," Balthazar said confidently, giving his friend a comforting hand on his back, "Just take your time." They parted ways and Castiel got himself ready to meet the people of Winchester.

Dean bathed and dressed, putting on a simple military coat and green tunic before heading to the war room to work until Balthazar and Castiel were ready. He put his glasses on and tried to concentrate on his work as the sun started to hang low in the sky. A few hours went by before there was a knock on the door, Dean having completely forgotten he was expecting someone. "Come in," he said distracted as Balthazar opened the door. 

Dean looked up over the rim of his glasses and the remembered what he was waiting for. "Oh! Are we ready?" he said as he stood, forgetting he had his glasses on. 

Balthazar looked at Dean, then at Castiel, raised his eyebrows then back at Dean. 

"I didn't know you needed glasses," Castiel said, a gently teasing smile on his face, "They're quite fetching on you."

"Very 'hot scholar', I think," Balthazar added with a grin, "But I only came to drop off my precious cargo here. I completely forgot that I can't come with you because I have to leave you two alone so you can have a romantic evening." Castiel turned to him, eyes wide. He had no idea that Balthazar had been planning on leaving him alone with Dean. Not that he entirely minded of course. The thought just made him a bit nervous. "Now, if I'm not mistaken there are a few more soldiers in the ranks since the last time I was in Winchester," he said with a wink, "I'll just be off introducing myself." With a reassuring smile to Castiel, Balthazar turned on his heel and left the two to get going.

Dean had quickly reached up to snatch his glasses off his face, clearing his throat and a little embarrassed before Balthazar spoke. "Well that suits me just fine," Dean said with a smile. "I won't have to rein in his insanity and I can make sure you're comfortable."

"I'm sure I will be fine," Castiel said in what he hoped was a confident voice, "I can shake hands easily, I'm sure." That wasn't really the part he was all that worried about. Sure, he may be a little stiff at first, but he was confident in his ability to get used to it. No, he was more worried that Dean's people would not accept him.

"I'm sure you will be," he said, escorting him out of the castle and down toward the city. It was bustling with life when they strolled in, people stopping in the streets to look at them, turning to each other and whispering. 

"Highness!" A tiny voice called, and a tiny girl with blonde curls rushed to meet him. "Well, hello, miss Rose," Dean said, bending down to pick the girl up and put her on his shoulder. "My goodness you've gotten big. What are they feeding you?"

"Only the best!" she said with a giggle. 

"Miss Rose this is Castiel."

"Are you the one going to marry Highness?" she asked, her tiny face alight with curiosity. 

"I am," Castiel said, unable to keep a smile off his face as he looked at the small girl, "It is an honor to meet you, Miss Rose." He inclined his head in a small bow.

She kicked her feet and clapped her hands and Dean laughed. "You're very pretty," she said to him. 

"Indeed he is," he said with a smile. "Care to help me give him a tour of our fair city?" 

"Oh, yes!" she said as Dean helped her back to her feet. She took Castiel's hand and started to pull him. "Come, Castiel, no one knows the city like me!" 

"It's true," Dean said with a laugh. "The Ashtons are staples of Winchester." 

Castiel blushed and smiled a bit shyly at the compliment, not even noticing when the young girl took his hand, something he was later proud of. 

"I'm sure I will find no better tour guide than you, Miss Rose," he said with a laugh. Castiel looked back at Dean with a smile before allowing himself to be tugged along.

Rose took them to their family's bakery where her grandmother got in Castiel's face and pinched his cheeks and made Castiel repeat everything he said loudly even though she could hear just fine before giving them each a fresh baked roll and sending them on their way. She took them by the shops and pointed in the windows and introduced him to every shop owners. There were a few who glared at him because he was of Novak, as tensions between the countries hadn't been long ago, but Dean only had to level their eyes at them and they either resigned to giving Castiel a polite greeting or didn't involve themselves at all. 

Dean watched Cas every chance he got, trying to read if he was uncomfortable or needed to punch someone. Whenever Cas looked like he was growing uneasy, Dean would put his hand on the small of his back, hoping to be of comfort as they continued down the streets. Overall the general feeling of the outing was 'it doesn't matter, you're a Winchester now' and the people were kind and all too glad to meet the new future king of Winchester. They would rave about Dean, John rarely came up no one liked to talk about him anymore, and told Cas what a wonderful king he would be, a couple of the older citizens looking upon Dean sadly when he wasn't paying attention, mentioning how sad it was for such a young handsome man to bear the burdens of his country and his family without complaining. 

The children loved Dean and wound run to hug his legs and he knew all of their names, most of them talking about joining his military when they were of age, and Dean telling them not to worry about that for now and to just enjoy being young. Dean was glad, warmed even that Castiel received such a warm greeting and seemed to be having such a good time. He took a moment to consider how well joy looked on his face, and make a little promise to himself that he would make him express it at every chance possible. 

Castiel could not remember a time when he had felt so widely accepted. His own people had never given him a reception like this, though Castiel blames Michael for that. He had heard them more than once gossiping about how the youngest brother did not exist at all, and that Michael had made him up. Here though, Castiel was taken into people's lives as if he had been there the entire time. Of course, there were a few bumps in the road, but that was to be expected. Years of tension and animosity do not simply disappear overnight, marriage or no marriage. However, he never really got the chance to feel uneasy. If he had even an inkling of discomfort, Dean would be there beside him, his hand a comforting weight at the small of his back rather than a foreign object. It was hard to wipe the smile from his face.

Watching Dean with the children of the kingdom was certainly a sight to behold. Castiel stood a little ways away, and he completely understood now why Dean had abolished the mandatory draft. They did not need it. The people loved Dean, old and young alike. Castiel had never seen this kind of loyalty and love shown towards Michael. If anything, Gabriel was the best liked because he left the castle most often, but he would never be king. For that to happen, Anna would have to sire no heir and Raphael would have to pass on. Castiel shook his head a little, trying to bring himself back to reality again. Suddenly, there would be no problems there. A hand gripped his hip tightly and a body pressed itself up against his back. Castiel's nostrils filled with the smell of ale. He jumped away immediately, barely managing to curb the reflex of punching whoever it was in the face. He rather resembled a cat in the way his body tensed, hyper-aware of everything that was going on. 

"Someone's jumpy," the man slurred, clearly heavily drunk. Castiel would not hold it against him. He did not know this man, but perhaps he had some kind of reason. 

"Dean," he called softly, hands clenched into fists but refusing to make a big deal out of it, not wanting to draw too much attention, "I believe he could use some assistance."

Dean turned away from juggling children when he heard Castiel call him and made his way over. "Problem?" he asked, hands behind his back, looking the drunkard up and down. "You okay?" he asked, turning his attention to Cas.

"I'm fine," Castiel replied a bit stiffly. He really was, it had just been extremely surprising and rather unwelcome.

"Aren't you just," the man slurred with a drunken smile, looking at Castiel quite blatantly, listing to one side a bit. Castiel's eyes widened. He was used to Balthazar speaking in such a manner, but he'd never heard it from anyone else. 

"I think someone should help him get home," Castiel said to Dean, taking a half step closer to him, away from the drunkard. He wasn't going to blame this man entirely for his behavior, but it would probably be better if he weren’t on the streets.

"I think you may be right," Dean said stiffly. The man had to be at least three sheets to the wind if he didn't even recognize Dean to be embarrassed in front of him. Dean suspected he was foreign. 

The man took an unsteady step toward them, seemingly reaching out to touch Castiel and Dean instinctively stepped in front of him, snatching the man's wrist in his hand. "Why don't we get you into a carriage?" Dean said in a low, severe tone. 

Castiel would be lying if he had said that his heart hadn't momentarily jumped into his throat when the man stepped towards them. "I'll stay with the children," he said quietly, watching Dean for a moment before stepping away towards where all the kids were still playing. Rose came bounding up to him to explain their game so that he could play too.

Dean escorted the drunkard into a carriage, where he then proceeded to pass right out. Dean groaned and told the driver to take him to the inn and dump him on the sidewalk if he couldn't walk and gave him a silver piece before making his way back toward where Castiel was. 

Castiel stood in the middle of the circle with his eyes closed. He was the wolf and he was supposed to be trying to find the ducklings. He stumbled around, waving his arms as the children shrieked and laughed, running away from him. Suddenly, he bumped into someone who most definitely was not a child, though Castiel had no idea it was Dean. 

"Remember what you have to say!" Rose called from somewhere behind him.

"I am the wolf caught under a spell, free me small duckling and all will be well," Castiel recited. He kept his eyes closed, waiting for the tap on his nose that would transfer the 'spell' from Castiel to whomever he caught so that they would have to be the wolf.

Dean looked around at the children, pressing a finger to his lips to tell the children to be quiet and not give away the secret. The children all covered their mouths trying not to laugh. He waited for long moments as he watched Castiel grow more and more nervous as the person he'd 'caught' made no attempt to move, to say they weren't playing, or to release him. He grinned watching Castiel growing impatient. 

"No peeking!!" Rose shrieked as she tried not to laugh. 

Dean decided he had tortured him long enough, so he took Castiel by the chin and kissed his nose, mostly to tease him. Then grinned a wide, boyish grin. 

Castiel's eyes shot open, lips parting in surprise. Dean stood in front of him, grinning. The tips of his ears went pink, but he didn't make any move to pull away. It was silent for a few moments before Castiel finally gave a small smile, realizing that the children were waiting for him to continue. "Now the duckling is the wolf caught in a trap, until on his nose he feels a small tap," he said softly, now unable to make the smile go away.

Dean laughed and inhaled. "You'd best take a step back," He said with a playful eyebrow arched. "I have quite the reach." Then he closed his eyes. "Run little ducklings, lest you become the wolf." 

Castiel took a few long strides back and watched as the children ran from Dean. He reached up and brushed the tip of his nose where Dean's lips had been only moments before. Another smile fought its way onto his face as he reentered the game.

Whenever Dean was the wolf, the rules usually got tossed aside and children just tried to climb him or tackle him. Dean became a human playground as he tried to walk with children on every limb. Eventually it got late, and they were hungry, and they waved goodbye to the children. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you," Dean said as they walked away. "I mean you were standing there with your eyes closed I just couldn't help myself.”

"No, no," Castiel said with a small shake of his head as they walked, "It was actually kind of... nice." He felt a bit embarrassed about admitting that for some reason and looked away, turning his head to look at the houses and such as they passed them by.

"I'm glad you seem to be enjoying yourself," he said. "We are not so closed off emotionally in Winchester. We're very physical peoples. I'm very glad to see you smiling so, however." 

"Everything here is so different, even down to the people of your kingdom," Castiel said, turning his head back to look at Dean, "I've never felt this welcomed in my own kingdom, bumps in the road aside."

"Give them time, they will adjust. There are still people alive who lost loved ones in the wars between our countries all that time ago. For the most part they are very welcoming and kind and they love their country." 

"They love you," Castiel said with a smile, wrapping his arms around himself as the night air grew chillier, "It's amazing to see the kind of loyalty and warmth you inspire in your people."

"They are why we do what we do," he said simply. "We would be nothing without them. What is a king without citizens? That is a lesson your brother would do well to learn, no offense intended of course. Are you cold? Do you want my jacket? We're quite a ways from the castle still. We can get a carriage if you want."

"I couldn't take your jacket," Castiel said with a shake of his head, "I'll be fine. It's a small chill, not a winter wind." The town was as beautiful at night as it was by day, the stars twinkling overhead as the moon shined down on them. "My brother would do well to learn from many people, but he views no one as wise as himself."

"Only a true fool seeks his own council," he quoted before shrugging out of his jacket and putting it on Castiel's shoulders. "I hope you'll be happy here," he said before softly adding "with me". 

Castiel pulled the jacket around his shoulders a little tighter, glad that it was now too dark for Dean to see his flushed skin. "If the past three days are anything to go by, I know I will be," Castiel answered just as softly, giving Dean a smile.

Dean smiled, lifting a hand to put on Castiel's shoulder as they walked, but deciding against it and putting it back behind his back, clearing his throat. They walked back to the Castle and Dean walked Cas back to his room. "Did you have fun?" he asked, already knowing the answer. 

"More fun than Michael has let me have in years," Castiel said with a small laugh. He was looking forward to getting to see the children again, and maybe making amends with those who did not yet approve of his presence.

Dean approached him and raised his hands, slipping his jacket off Castiel's shoulder a little slower than he had to. "I'm... very glad you're here, Castiel," he said finally, letting the jacket slip off Castiel's back and holding it in his hands. 

Castiel didn't even have to make himself relax when Dean reached out to touch him. Not even his hands clenched up. "I'm very glad to be here, Dean," he responded, eyes flickering over the other's face, a strange feeling filling up inside his stomach.

Dean swallowed and averted his eyes. He shouldn't be thinking the things he was thinking. Cas was... young. Well, older than Dean by a few years, but he was younger in terms of experience. In terms of life. Dean could very easily kiss him senseless and take him without him even knowing what was happening, too swept up in a feeling he didn't understand to stop him. 

Dean didn't want that. But he realized that he very much wanted Castiel to give. 

"Well," he said with a nervous exhale. "Get some sleep I'll uh... see you tomorrow." He turned around to walk away but quickly turned right back around. "One more thing." Before he could talk himself out of it he leaned down a gently put his lips on Castiel's cheekbone, giving him a soft, affectionate kiss. He hadn't minded the one on his nose, right? Maybe this would be okay. He swallowed as he pulled back to say "Goodnight, Cas," very softly and pull himself away. 

"Goodnight, Dean," Castiel answered distractedly, his voice barely above a whisper. His skin tingled where Dean's lips had brushed against it, making butterflies dance around in his stomach. He watched the other walk away for a moment before disappearing into his room, leaning against the door after he'd closed it and sliding down onto the floor. 

"Well, are you going to tell me what happened?"

Castiel's head snapped up to see Balthazar lounging on his bed with a book. 

"The people here are very different from those in Novak," he said evasively.

"Oh no," Balthazar said with a shake of his head, sliding off the bed, "I want to know what happened that put that look on your face."

"What look on my face?" Castiel asked defensively, "This is just my face."

"You can't fool me, Cassie," Balthazar chastised.

"He kissed me goodnight," Castiel said softly, that strange feeling welling up in his stomach again, a small smile creeping onto his face, "It was only on the cheek, but I've never... It was nice." Balthazar just looked at him.

"The two of you are so far gone already," he sighed before plopping the book on the bedside table, "Try to actually go to sleep tonight. Don't stay up obsessing over it."

"Goodnight, Balthazar," Castiel said with a roll of his eyes before ushering his friend out so that he could sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Dean went to the War Room to work but ended up looking out the window at the city for long minutes, running the night over in his head over and over again as he watched the city bustle and fall asleep. This was the last night he could afford to be distracted. He was already far behind. Again he tried to work through the night, but he ended up falling asleep at his desk, being awoken by the morning sun and heading off to practice. He trained, went and showered, and went straight to the War Room to meet with the elders to make plans to train Novak's military. The old assholes didn't want to take any action until after the wedding when the merger was finalized and they received their financial aid. Dean said that was ridiculous. 

He fought for Novak. And for Castiel when his loyalty was questioned, which was the very thing that ended the meeting. 

"You are compromised," John sneered after the meeting concluded. "You are not supposed to let the boy get into your head."

"He is not in my head," Dean lied. "We should honor our promises early as a show of good faith."

"You will ruin our kingdom for this boy."

"Well, I would hate to take your favorite hobby away from you."

John backhanded him and stormed out of the room. 

Dean exhaled and threw himself into his work, sitting at his desk and trying to forget that he was the only thing holding Winchester together. He skipped breakfast, lunch, and dinner for work. Forgetting even to go and see Sam. He had meant to go check on Castiel but he was sure Balthazar was taking care of him. 

It went like that for a few days. Dean couldn't remember the last time he ate. He spared a moment to hope Castiel didn't think he was avoiding him, but he was just so busy. He made a promise to himself that he would go find him that night, but he fell asleep at his desk, glasses on his face, and chin in his hand. 

\--

"Maybe I did something wrong?" Castiel asked, nibbling on his thumbnail. It was the seventh time in three days that he had asked Balthazar that. Seven times in the three days following Castiel and Dean's tour of the town, Castiel doubted his entire existence and each time Balthazar was there to talk him down from the ledge of insanity. 

"You. Did. Nothing. Wrong," Balthazar said slowly, grabbing Castiel by the shoulders and staring him in the eye, "Dean is just busy. Even Sam said that he hasn't been around."

"Maybe something is wrong with him?" Castiel would then ask, worried for Dean's health and safety. 

"You could always ask him," Balthazar finally said, his first new response in three days, "Why wait around for him to come to you? Take some initiative. He's probably in the War Room."

"But what if I'm just bothering him?" Castiel pushed.

"You'll never know if you don't ask him," Balthazar shot back. After a few more minutes of arguing, Castiel found himself standing outside the War Room with a tray of bread, cheese, and fruit. Balthazar said that he heard from a servant boy that Dean hasn't been eating. He knocked on the door, pushing it open gently when no one answered.

"Dean?" he called out softly, catching sight of him slumped over the table.

Dean groaned in his sleep before shifting his head a little, resting it on his forearms over his desk as he slept. 

Castiel nudged the door closed with his foot, carefully placing the tray down in a clear spot where no papers could be ruined. "Dean?" he said softly, gently shaking the other's shoulder.

"Hmm?" He said, groggily blinking himself awake before seeing Cas and sitting up like a shot, his glasses crooked and a paper sticking to his face. He pulled it off his face and cleared his throat. "Hey," he said, taking his glasses off. "I was just... I was just gonna come and see you. I'm sorry. I have all this... my father's been. I'm sorry I'm a terrible host." he cleared his throat again and raked his fingers through his hair. "Are you okay? Do you need something?" 

"I think I should be asking you that," Castiel said with a small smile. He stood there a little awkwardly, not really sure what to do with himself. "I brought you something to eat," he said with a small gesture towards the tray, "The servants said you haven't been eating."

"Oh uh... no I haven't," he ran his hands down his face. "I haven't really thought about it." He turned to look up at Castiel, blinking one eye at a time kind of like a lizard. "Thank you that was... kind. I'm uh... sorry about the past few days. I just... there's a lot to be done." He cleared his throat and threw himself back into his chair. "Don't let the legends fool you. 90% of the battles I fight are in this room with old idiots who would cut off their noses to spite their faces." He absentmindedly reached out and took Castiel's hand, running his thumb over his knuckles. "Have you been alright? I hadn't meant to go so long without seeing you."

Castiel looked down at their joined hands for a minute before looking back at Dean, butterflies swarming inside of him. "I've been fine," he reassured him, "Balthazar's been around plenty and I've been spending time with Sam as well. We were all just beginning to get a bit worried about you. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No I uh... I have it... controlled... so to speak." He cleared his throat. "I do need to talk to Balthazar," He said, almost idly, looking over his desk and running his free hand over his chin. "But I suppose I can do that tomorrow. It's late already." He then seemed to realize that he was talking out loud. He let go of Castiel's hand to shrug out of his jacket and let it fall to the floor before running rough hand down his face again. "Lord, I must look a fright," He said with a laugh, self consciously combing his hair with his fingers.

"It's actually almost unfair how you don't at all," Castiel said with a bit of a chuckle. It was true. Sure, Dean looked rumpled and ruffled and a little scruffy around the edges, but he was most definitely still attractive. Part of him wanted to ask what he wanted to speak with Balthazar about, but he waved the thought away deciding that Dean would tell him if he needed to know. 

Dean smiled, running his fingers along his stubble. "You like more rugged men? I could refrain from shaving if it would please you," he teased with a grin. "You can touch it if you want to." 

"I know what stubble feels like," Castiel said with a grin, "I can, in fact, grow my own." Nonetheless, he reached out slowly, feeling a little hesitant about it before letting his fingers drag along the stubble on Dean's cheek.

Dean's expression dropped a little, his throat tensing. He had just been kidding and now that Castiel was touching his face his brain was screaming. Bad idea, bad idea, abort, abort, abort. His thoughts turned inappropriate quickly. 

"I uh... should really... umm..." his brain sort of short circuited. "Can I walk you to your room? Or... Uh..." He exhaled and used every ounce of strength he had not to lean into his touch. "I guess I should at least attempt to sleep in a bed tonight. My bed, I mean. Not a bed. Not like a random bed." 

Castiel dropped his hand naturally, not having planned on more than just a quick touch. He smiled at Dean, having no idea what had just gone on in Dean's mind. "That would probably be infinitely more comfortable than a desk," he teased lightly, "And you don't have to escort me to my room if you would rather just go straight into bed. I know how tired you must be." He left out how he most definitely wanted Dean to walk him to his room, even if that meant just a few extra moments.

"Nonsense, what kind of husband can't even walk his husband to his room," he said as he stood, taking his arm and leading him the short distance to his room. "I want to make something clear," he said, turning to face Castiel as he prepared to open his door. He took his hand in both of his own and held it between them. "I will never be too busy for you. So never be afraid to seek me out."

"I won't be," Castiel agreed quietly, looking down at his hand cradled between Dean's before looking back up at his face. He knew he was staring, but he didn't really care. As stupid as it sounded, Castiel wanted to make sure that he would never forget even a single feature on Dean's face and so he traced the freckles scattered across the skin. He followed the cut of his jaw and the slope of his nose. The curve of his lips and the color of his eyes.

Dean smiled and brought Castiel's hand to his lips, kissing his knuckles softly before dropping their hands. "Goodnight, Cas," he said before turning and heading away, content to return to his work and eat the tray of food Castiel gave him. He could sleep in a bed tomorrow. 

Castiel disappeared into his room much like he had the last time that Dean had dropped him off at his room, though this time Balthazar wasn't waiting on his bed. He really wished there was something he could do for Dean to make whatever it was he was trying to accomplish easier. He resolved to try and figure something out in the morning and went to sleep, hoping that Dean was doing the same.

Dean didn't sleep, but he did manage to bathe and shave. He paced around his room, knowing he didn't have time to sleep. He made his way straight to Castiel's room, knowing he was possibly still asleep as it was still dark out. But he couldn't get his words out of his head. He knocked on his door, almost panicked, hoping to wake him. 

That night had been unseasonably warm, resulting in Castiel removing his shirt before he could sweat through it. He'd completely forgotten about that though when he heard the panicked knocking that jolted him out of sleep. He stumbled out of bed, hair messy, wiping the sleep out of his eyes as he opened the door. "Dean?" he asked, smothering a yawn, "What's wrong?"

"You said-whoa..." For a second Dean completely forgot what he had come to his room for, looking down at his bare chest and hipbones. He cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders trying to appear the gentlemen. "I'm sorry I know I woke you. You said that if there was something you could do I could ask you. Does that still apply?" 

"Of course it does," Castiel said, trying to pretend that his face wasn't slowly turning magenta when he noticed that Dean was looking at him and he had forgone a shirt. He reminded himself that there was nothing to be ashamed of and that this was not improper. Men exercise shirtless, men work shirtless, men swim shirtless, and there is nothing wrong with seeing another man shirtless or being shirtless. Or so he tried to remind himself.

"Get dressed," he said quickly. "And meet me at the stables. Quickly there isn't much time." He couldn't stop himself from another fleeting glance at his abdomen before he took off running down the hallway. 

Castiel didn't even have time to open his mouth, let alone ask a question. He didn't think he had ever been so confused before. He dressed himself nonetheless, blowing out all the candles in his room before making his way down to the stables quickly and quietly. Dean was already there. "Can you tell me what's going on?" he asked a bit breathlessly, having run most of the way.

Dean had just finished saddling Baby in the dark, using only the light of a torch to do it. "No time," he said, as he climbed up, offering Castiel a hand up. "Trust me." 

Castiel hesitated for only a fraction of a second before taking Dean's hand and hoisting himself up on top of Baby. It took him a moment longer to wrap his arms around Dean, this time sitting behind him rather than in front, but he got over it quickly. This was no time for Castiel's discomfort or uncertainty. 

"Hang on," he demanded before spurring Baby and giving her a 'yah' making her take off like a rocket. Dean rode her hard across the meadow and over the hills until he came to a cliff that hung over a lake. He exhaled a panting breath as he pulled Baby to the side and helped Castiel down and jumped down himself. He took Castiel's hand and led him to the cliffs edge where the wind grazed past them just as the sun began to rise over the lake. The sky growing pink and orange and red and purple as the sun started to peek over the lakes edge. He linked his fingers into Castiel's and sighed happily. "Just in time." 

Castiel's jaw nearly dropped off his skull. "Dean," he breathed, staring out over the landscape, "Dean, it's gorgeous. I've never seen anything like this." An awed smile graced his lips, almost as though he didn't really believe that this was actually happening. They were silent for a few moments, just looking out into the horizon when something suddenly occurred to Castiel. "How is this helping you?" he asked with a small laugh. Dean had taken him out here by first knocking frantically on his door and asking if Castiel doing what he could to help him still applied, and he just didn't see how the two connected.

Dean squeezed Castiel's hand in his, and when Castiel looked at him he saw that Dean hadn't been looking at the horizon at all but at Castiel's face as it lit up upon seeing the sunrise. "Trust me, It's helping," he said with a smile. Dean simply and purely loved showing Castiel new things, loved how his face lit up and his whole body reacted. 

Castiel's face went pink, almost matching the shade of the currently lit up the sky. He turned his face away from Dean's gaze, biting his lip to try and smother his smile, embarrassed by his reaction, but that didn't stop him from giving Dean's hand a minute squeeze. 

"Care for a swim?" he asked, motioning his head off the cliff. "Nothing wakes you up quite like plummeting into the sunrise and into a lake."

"Is it safe?" Castiel asked dubiously, eyeing the edge with no small amount of suspicion. 

"No, terribly dangerous. Of the thousand times I've done it, I've died ten times." He teased. 

Castiel shoved Dean lightly with a laugh before letting go of his hand. "You want to dive, wise guy?" he said, a teasing grin on his face, "Let's dive." Before he could let himself think too much about it, Castiel pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it to the ground. What would Balthazar say? Probably something along the lines of how proud he was.

Dean laughed and took a few steps back before running forward and tackling Castiel off the cliff, not giving him the moment to back out or protest. He held him tight around his bare chest as they hit the water, the icy chill shooting through him in a refreshing, familiar way before popping out of the water, looking immediately for Castiel. 

Castiel stayed under the water for a moment, trying to get used to the chill of the water before he broke the surface, breathing deeply. "Tackling isn't very polite," he said with mock seriousness as he shook out his hair a bit.

"Well you'd better get used to it," Dean said with a laugh. "We're a family of tacklers." Dean turned to see the sun had risen a good amount before turning back to Castiel. "Thank you for coming with me."

"Thank you for bringing me," Castiel said back, smiling softly at Dean, "I've never seen anything like this." The sun lay behind Dean, making it look as if the other was almost glowing.

Dean swallowed and wrapped a hand around Castiel's neck to pull him in, kissing his cheek softly before wading away from him. "I'm going to need you to rethink this kissing problem of yours sooner rather than later," he said with a laugh. "It gets a little harder not to every time I see you." He dunked himself under the water as if it would get rid of the terrible thoughts in his head before swimming to shore and whistling for Baby to come down, making her way down the mountainside. He tried to get the thought that Castiel was shirtless and wet out of his head as he did. 

Castiel opened and closed his mouth for a moment, making him resemble that of a fish as he stared at Dean. It took him a moment to collect himself before he could speak, looking down at his fingernails as he did. "It's not so much of a problem as it is a slight worry," he said quietly, shrugging as though it didn't matter, "Mostly about the publicity that is supposed to surround our first kiss."

"Well then," dean said with a laugh, taking the towel out from the pack he'd latched to Baby. "Would you simply prefer our first kiss to be more private? Perhaps at a lake, in front of a sunset?" He raised his eyebrows playfully before beckoning Castiel out of the lake with a wave of his hand. "Come dry off. What will Balthazar say if I return you to the castle soaking wet?" He held the towel open like he was simply waiting to wrap Castiel in it. 

Castiel walked out of the lake, shaking his hair out again once he was on the bank. He stood there for a moment, heart beating hard in his chest. It sounded as though Dean was just kidding, but in all honesty, Castiel would much prefer that if he had the choice. After what felt like hours but was really only moments, Castiel walked over into Dean's arms so he could be wrapped up in the towel. "I would prefer that," he said quietly, not meeting Dean's gaze, "If given a choice between the two."

"We don't have to kiss, Cas," Dean said with a small chuckle, wrapping the towel and beginning to dry him off, affectionately patting the sides of his throat and face with the corners. "I don't want to kiss you if you don't want to be kissed, Understand?" He held his face in his hands with the towel. "I am only too glad to kiss you, Castiel, but I am not one to push my affections onto someone who doesn't want them." 

"What if I don't know?" Castiel asked honestly, "What if I don't know if I want to be kissed because I don't know what wanting it feels like?" It was a problem he had been wrestling with each time he found himself face to face with Dean. Again and again it would occur to him that he wouldn't even realize what he wanted because he didn't know what wanting was like.

"You'll know when you feel it," Dean said simply, continuing to dry him and keeping the thoughts out of his head. "You’re... face heats up and your heart beats faster and it feels like... like something is squeezing your chest from the inside." He shook his head. "That doesn't make sense. Just... trust me you'll feel it. It may not even be me that makes you feel it. It may be some girl you meet down the road or something." He tried not to let on how that felt like a kick in the gut just thinking about it. He moved the towel to ruffle and dry Castiel's hair, smiling affectionately when it stood straight up. He sighed and smiled. "I could easily make you want it Castiel, simply because you don't know any better and I could use that to my advantage. But I don't want that. I want you to want it first. Then I'll just..." He tilted his head and shrugged a little. "Make you want it more. But let me be clear that if you never want it, that's okay too."

Castiel's face was constantly heating up around Dean. More than once he had felt his heart begin to race, even it if was just a little. It was the last part he felt a little iffy on. Rather than something squeezing his chest, it was more like a swarm of insects buzzing around in his stomach. Maybe that meant it was different. Maybe that meant he didn't actually want to kiss Dean. But at the same time, he couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to kiss someone. To feel their lips pressed against his own. His skin already tingled just thinking about where Dean had already placed small kisses, and Castiel found himself wanting to feel that feeling again. However, he didn't have the courage to say any of this. He simply stood there as he was dried off, wishing things were easier than they were. 

Dean raised the corners of the towel to gently wipe away water from Castiel's brow and cheeks, smiling when he did it. "For instance," Dean said softly. "I really want to kiss you. When you touch me, my skin tingles where your touch was, and when I think about kissing you all the nerves in my stomach bunch up." He exhaled let the towel hang around Castiel's shoulders. "I think about you when you're not around and when you are around, I think about kissing you. It's just that simple." He laughed a little, tilting his head to the side. "Don't look so stricken. I'm not trying to pressure you. I'm just trying to explain." He inhaled and put his hands on his hips. "It's very difficult to be me, looking at you. I feel like a child in front of candy whose hands are bound." 

Castiel blushed at the implication that he was so extremely desirable that Dean would have to keep reminding himself not to, though Castiel found himself wishing that he hadn't. The way Dean had described how he felt was the same way Castiel felt every time he stood in front of the other man. It was quiet for a moment before Castiel mumbled something that neither of them could hear. He could see the look of confusion on Dean's face as he tried to make it out. Castiel fidgeted a bit before looking up at Dean and then looking down at his feet again. "Everything you said," he began quietly, "That's how I feel. Whenever I see you." Castiel's face went red at the confession and he couldn't bring himself to meet Dean's eye.

"Is it now?" Dean said with a small smile, perhaps thinking Castiel was just saying that to give him what he wanted. "Well I know a way to be sure," he said with a grin, taking the towel in his hands again and just holding it there around his shoulders. "Close your eyes, I promise I’m not going to do anything." He waited until Castiel complied and said. "Now, picture Balthazar passionately kissing you." He waited, observing Castiel’s face and hoping it shone that he had a distaste for the idea. 

Castiel's face immediately wrinkled in disgust. The thought made him want to gag. Balthazar was like a brother to him and imagining him in such an intimate way was rather sickening. "Is there a purpose to my being scarred for life by that mental image?" Castiel asked.

Dean laughed a little, taking a step closer to Cas, running the water out of his hair. "Okay now start over. Forget about that. Now, replace Balthazar with me. Think about me holding your chin in my hand as I trace my lips over yours. Think about me wrapping you in my arms as our lips move together." He waited again, hoping this was going to work. 

Castiel's expression smoothed out. His breathing hitched a bit and his lips parted slightly on instinct. The feeling was completely different. His heart beat faster, his palms grew sweaty, his stomach filled with flutters.

Dean's expression dropped, not having expected Castiel's expression to be so... welcoming. He stood there and watched his face and throat turn pink. He could already tell he was going to regret this. He reached out and traced the pads of his fingers along Castiel's jaw line then down his throat, swallowing as he did it. This was a bad idea. He was a gentleman he didn't... seduce people by lake sides... well he did... but not Cas. Not like this. He couldn't help but feel like he was taking advantage... like he was a terrible person for even considering it. 

Castiel stood there, his eyes closed, waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, he could almost feel Dean recoil though he didn't physically move. Castiel opened his eyes and looked at Dean's face so close to his own. "If I have not misread the situation," he began with a small smile, trying to show that he felt at ease, "I believe this is the part where you give me my first kiss."

Dean swallowed, moving his hand back up to take Castiel's chin in his hand, his thumb tracing over the line of his bottom lip. "As you wish," he said softly before moving the rest of the way, softly pressing his lips onto Castiel's. It was soft and it was sweet and it was everything a first kiss between two people should be. He traced Castiel's lips with his own, slowly. Giving him ample opportunity to pull away if that was what he wanted. Dean inhaled through his nose, bringing his other hand up to cup the side of Castiel's face. 

Castiel would admit he was a bit stiff at first, unused to the sensation, but as soon as Dean cupped his face he could feel himself relax. He pressed forward softly, unsure of how else to respond. He didn't know what to do with his arms or hands or anything, so he simply stood there, kissing Dean.

Dean moved his lips slowly, coaxing Castiel into moving his, teaching him as he went. He moved slow, fighting his urge to simply overtake him. The hand on Castiel's chin moved down his jaw, down his throat and over his shoulder. He would have moved down his bare chest and hips but... he didn't want to push his boundaries, yet it was a first kiss. Dean wanted, probably more than he'd care to admit to himself, that he wanted Castiel to enjoy it.

Castiel followed Dean's lead, electricity shooting down his spine as the kiss continued. Dean's hand felt warm against his skin and Castiel wanted to press closer. However, despite the way his body wanted to continue, Castiel knew that he wasn't ready for more. He pulled away after a moment, giving Dean a small breathless smile.

Dean cleared his throat, but kept his hands on Castiel. "Not so bad, right?" He asked softly, kissing his cheek before forcing himself to pull away and look down into his face.

"Rather exhilarating actually," Castiel said with a shy smile, "I can see why people would want to do it." He had never really seen the appeal before and had only held a vague curiosity. Now he understood.

"Well," Dean said, slowly removing his hands from Castiel, more than a little begrudgingly. "Feel free to do it whenever you like," he said. "To me, I mean. Not anyone. Don't make me kill someone," he teased before turning to put the towel back where he'd gotten it. "Come on. Let's get you back to Winchester." 

"First we're going back to that cliff for my shirt," Castiel said firmly, not wanting to gallivant around shirtless for all of Winchester to see. He couldn't stop the fluttering feeling in his stomach and a small smile kept trying to fight its way onto his face. He was definitely looking forward to the next time he would get to kiss Dean.

"Good point. Can’t very well let everyone see my fiancé shirtless," He teased, helping Castiel up onto the horse before getting on himself and heading back up to the cliff, hoping up to snatch Castiel's shirt and handing it up to him. "Thanks for coming along,” he said from the ground as Castiel put his shirt back on. "I know it was really random."

"I told you I would do whatever I could and I meant it," Castiel said with a smile, "And I enjoy spending time with you, both planned and sporadic."

Dean grinned up at him. "This was a great help, thank you," He added before climbing back up, lingering on the cliff a little bit and pulling Castiel into his chest. Dean leaned forward and kissed the back of his neck. "You've probably made a mistake letting me kiss you because now I'm going to want to do it a lot more often," he teased, kissing his neck one more time. 

"I think I could become perfectly content with that," Castiel admitted quietly, feeling a heated blush crawl over his face and neck. He could be perfectly happy staying here all day, but he knew that Dean would be needed. "We should head back," he whispered, turning his head a bit so he could see Dean.

Dean sighed loudly and dramatically. "I suppose," he said, turning his attention back to Castiel from the sunrise. He took the opportunity of Cas turning around to lean up and kiss his cheek again before needling Baby in the side and forcing her to trot toward the kingdom, though not at the sprint she was at last time, much more content to take as much time as possible. 

Once the door was open, it was certainly open. Dean was far more affectionate now that he and Castiel kissed. It was almost as if the floodgates had broken and Castiel couldn't bring himself to say that he wanted them fixed. The ride back was jovial and full of teasing banter. Castiel couldn't stop smiling even if he tried.

Dean stopped at the front of the castle and helped Castiel off the horse before climbing back up. "I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable," he said finally. "If I ever to just... tell me. I'll rectify it immediately." 

"If I am uncomfortable you will know," Castiel said with a laugh, "As fragile as I look, I do know how to use my fists." He had no intention of doing anything that he was not completely comfortable with. As much as he wished for this union to remain successful, he would not make himself unhappy.

"I am glad to hear it," Dean said with a wide grin before turning Baby toward the arena and heading off to practice. 

Castiel watched Dean walk away with a sigh, wishing that he would relax and maybe rest for a bit. If the servant gossip was anything to go by, he really needed to sleep. Castiel felt a small yawn building in his chest and decided to rest for another hour or so before spending the day with Sam or Balthazar.

Dean got through practice, took a long bath that he almost fell asleep in, and found that he was sweating again in a matter of moments after his bath. His head hurt too. Maybe he needed to eat. 

And he was not looking forward to how he went to the meeting with his father and the elders, defending Castiel again when his loyalty was questioned and saying that his loyalty didn't really matter, the merger would be finalized in a little over a week. He could feel tensions between him and his father building, and was not looking forward to how that was going to play out. He left before they started shouting at each other, seeking out Sam and Castiel before he went to work for the night, more or less ignoring how hot it was for whatever reason. 

\--

Balthazar had run off to who knows where in the early morning, so Castiel had spent the day with Sam touring the castle. They spent most of their time in the library, browsing the shelves and discussing topics they were interested in learning about. Castiel even showed him the book he liked to read whenever he got nightmares. It had been a rather nice day, but a worry for Dean kept niggling at the back of his head. 

Now they sat in a room with a large fireplace and many cushioned chairs, reading their respective tomes and sharing little facts that interested them. It was quite relaxing. Still that thought in the back of his head made Castiel worry about Dean.

Dean stood in the doorway for long minutes, watching the two of them becoming friends… no, brothers, in front of his eyes. He felt his heart swell in his chest. He stood there like a fool, grinning. "Having fun?" He asked finally.

Castiel and Sam turned towards the doorway at the same time, Sam immediately jumping up to go greet his older brother. "It has been a very relaxing day," Castiel said with a smile, carefully marking his place in his book before standing as well and walking over to the two brothers, "How was your own?"

Dean bent to sweep Sam in his arms and twirl him around. "The opposite of relaxing." He said with a small laugh. "The sight of the two of you getting along is a great comfort though."

"Why are you so hot?" Sam asked as he squirmed out of Dean’s arms. "You feel like you're melting." 

"It's hot," dean said with a grin. "I've been working. Some of us don't have the luxury of laying in pillows all day." 

Castiel cocked his head and came to stand closer, extending a hand to press it against Dean's forehead. "You really do feel too warm," he said, worry creeping into his voice, "Perhaps we should get you to your room and request some ice so you can cool down."

"I'm fine," Dean said, waving them off, though he did lean into Castiel’s cool touch. "I had a lot of work to do. Country won't run itself." He teased.

"And where's father?"

"He's very busy Sam you know that."

"Busy drinking!" Sam spat before turning away in a huff and going back to the pile of pillows. 

Dean exhaled. He probably should've chastised Sam for that but he wasn't wrong, and Dean really didn't have the heart.

Castiel looked between the two brothers for a moment. "I think the day is nearly drawing to a close anyway," he declared decisively, "We should all be heading off to bed. Especially you, Dean." He still wasn't sure if the other had actually eaten anything recently but hoped that a good night's sleep would do him good.

"I will try," he said. "For you," he added before sending a longing glance to Sam. "Anyway I just wanted to come see you before I jumped into work. You okay?"

"I'm fine," Castiel said, crossing his arms as he looked at Dean, "What do you mean 'jump into work'? Dean, you haven't slept properly in over three days. Please just come to bed." It took Castiel a moment to realize is small slip, but when he did, his entire face went red, eyes wide. "Go," he immediately tried to correct, "Please just go to bed."

"Maybe if I had someone who looked liked you waiting in my bed I might have more inspiration to go there," he teased. "I can't," he said with an exhale. "The country rests on my shoulders. I can't yield."

"The country will still be here tomorrow," Castiel insisted, placing a hesitant hand on Dean's upper arm, "Please rest. Or at least let me help you. I will be ruling by your side, will I not? I am not content to be an idle king."

"And so you won't be," he promised, moving Castiel’s hand to hold it against his chest. "But you are adjusting. We are not wed. Your only job is to acclimate to life here. It'll be alright," he lied. "Once I catch up from our little announcement ceremony things will slow down. I promise."

"Do not force me to beg, Dean," Castiel said, looking at where his hand rested on Dean's heated torso before looking back up at him, "I fear for your health. Just one night's rest is all I ask. What will it take for you to say yes?"

He exhaled, recognizing the worry in his face, rather touched by it. "Give me two hours," he said finally. "Then come and get me and you can put me to bed personally if you wish. Deal?"

"Two hours," Castiel said with a nod, "Not a second longer." Dean really was far too warm, even if he had been working all day. There had to be something wrong, but hopefully some water and rest would stop whatever it was in its tracks.

Dean nodded, obviously thought about saying something to Sam. But decided against it before turning to leave, heading straight to the war room to work.

"I hate him. I hate my father," Sam sulked. "I hate that everyone thinks my father is king when my brother is the only thing keeping us from ruin. I hate how tired he always is. I hate how no one knows it. I hate how good he is at covering it." 

"That's a lot of hate for someone so young," Castiel said with a small smile, moving to sit next to Sam, "I cannot do much about your father, but I can promise you that I will not allow Dean to continue like this. He has me to help him now whether he likes it or not, and I will ensure that he sleeps and eats and takes time for himself.”

Sam nodded sadly, sniffling back tears in an attempt to be strong. "The servants say he's going to kill himself," Sam said sadly. "I hope you can help him." 

\--

Dean of course tried to work like mad with his two hours, his head rung, his vision blurry. So many signatures, so many documents to submit and draft and double-check. He had his forehead in his hand and even his glasses weren’t helping his massive migraine as he squinted at the text.

\--

"I will never let Dean leave this world without one hell of a fight," Castiel said firmly before standing and extending his hand to Sam, "Now let's get you off to bed. It is late."

Sam and Castiel took their time getting back to Sam's rooms, both of them just trying to waste time until the two hours were up. 

Dean had unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt, not realizing how sweat had begun to bead on his forehead. He couldn't afford to get sick. Not right now. There was still too much to be done. Dean took off his glasses to rub his eyes before putting them back on, trying to make sense of the chicken scratch one of the elders had written down. Dean decided it was either a weird form of hieroglyphics or Elder Torrence was getting too damn elder for his own good. For anyone's good. 

Dean's head throbbed which, of course, made him not only lose track of time, but made him totally forget he had a time limit on how much work he could get done. He drank some water before leaning his forehead on the heel of his hand, ignoring how everything felt hot and how the candles somehow seemed too bright. 

Castiel wasted his time with reading. He says wasted because he was barely able to read one sentence without requesting the hour from one of the servants milling around. He could tell they were becoming exasperated with him. After barely getting through a paragraph, Castiel inquired again to find that Dean's time was up. Castiel jumped up from the chair he sat on and made his way down to the War Room. He knocked gently before going inside.

When Dean saw Cas enter he leaned back in his chair after he finished signing something, running the back of his hand along his soaked forehead.

"Handsome and punctual. Lucky me," he teased with an easy smile. 

Castiel gave Dean a fond smile and a small shake of his head as he walked further into the room. "I try," he teased back, "Now put all this away. You're going to bed." He stood directly in front of Dean now and could see the strange pallor of his skin, the sweat that beaded on top of it, and he knew something was wrong.

Dean cleared his throat and stood, wiping the sweat from his forehead, before letting his glasses clatter onto the desk. "Very well," He said with a small smile. "If I must."

"Yes, you must," Castiel said firmly, "And I will stay in your room all night to ensure that you sleep if I must."

"That won't be necessary," Dean said with a laugh, taking Castiel's arm to lead him down the hallway. "I mean, I won't say no to you spending the night with me, but I doubt we have the same vision of that scenario," He teased. 

It took Castiel a moment to realize what Dean meant, though when he did his throat went dry and his face went red. "I have a feeling you're right," he said, coughing slightly but smiling a little nonetheless, "Though I did send for some ice and cool water. You're much warmer than you should be."

"I'll be alright," he said confidently. "A good nights sleep and some breakfast and I'll be alright. Takes a lot more than fatigue to take down a Winchester." He opened the door to his room and stepped in, reaching for a towel and wiping his brow off before turning to look at Cas standing in his doorway. He smiled. "Are you going to come in and undress me or do you trust me to do that myself?" He asked with his eyebrows playfully raised. 

“Is that an invitation or an inquiry?" Castiel shot back, taking a moment to wonder where that had come from. Perhaps Balthazar had rubbed off on him more than he thought. He wanted to retract his statement, rather embarrassed by it, but instead kept quiet, deciding to see how Dean reacted.

Dean laughed a little. "If I thought you actually wanted to, it would be an invitation. But, considering you've only just had your first kiss this morning, I think I will refrain. I'm a gentleman after all," He said, tilting his head to the side with a grin. 

Castiel smiled to himself without even noticing when Dean mentioned the kiss. It happened every time he remembered it. When he realized what he was doing, Castiel blushed and brought himself back into reality. "How chivalrous of you," Castiel teased lightly.

"I'm trying," he said with an honest sigh of frustration, drinking in the sight of Castiel grinning at him. "I uh..." He cleared his throat. "Unless you want to watch me undress you should probably shut the door," He said, closing the distance between them so he was standing in the doorway looking down at Cas, leaning on the door's frame. "You've escorted me to my room and I promise not to get out of bed until I've slept through the night."

Castiel looked up at Dean, lips parted without even realizing it. His heart leapt into his throat and his gaze flickered over Dean's face. He couldn't help but remember the kiss. How it had felt to have Dean's lips pressed against his own, Dean's warm hands on his bare torso. The way that lightening had filled his body and clouds fogged up his mind. "I-If you p-promise," Castiel finally said distractedly. 

"Unless..." He said tilting his head to the side. "You want to come in?" he asked. 

"I...I shouldn't... That's not... It wouldn't be proper... I mean," Castiel stammered. He bit his lip to prevent any more embarrassing word fumbling and looked up at Dean. He hesitated for a moment before he surged up, blushing, to place a gentle kiss on the line of Dean's jaw. 

Dean smiled and leaned into the touch, just to let Cas know that he liked it so he didn't hesitate to do it in the future. "I didn't ask if you should," Dean said softly, turning his face to nuzzle at the side of Castiel's. "Or if it would be proper... I asked if you wanted to." 

Castiel's brain short-circuited a bit, too focused on the feeling of Dean's face against his own. He swallowed hard, throat dry, lips parted, as his eyes fluttered closed. "I... I do," he said quietly, listening to the feeling in his gut, "Though not... not for anything... you know." Castiel blushed, feeling stupid for his inability to even say it.

Dean smiled and took his hand, pulling him in. "Don't worry," He said gently, pulling him into the room and shutting the door behind him. "Just sit with me for a while." 

"While I'm here," Castiel began, giving Dean's hand a squeeze before letting go and walking over to where the servants had placed a bowl of ice water, "Let me try and cool you down." He dipped a cloth in the cool water, squeezing it out a bit before folding it up and moving to place it against Dean's forehead.

"Oh, we're going to play doctor, are we?" He said with a chuckle, moving to unbutton the rest of his sweat soaked shirt. 

"Novak is a center of healing," Castiel pointed out, ignoring the pink tint on his cheeks as he avoided looking down at Dean's torso, instead staring intently at his forehead, "If I had the proper supplies, you would already be healthy again."

"I'm not unhealthy," Dean assured, with a small laugh. "I'm just... fatigued." He sat down on the edge of his bed to allow Cas to dab his forehead more comfortably. 

Castiel went back over to the bowl, putting down the cloth so he could remove his outer jacket and push up the sleeves of his tunic before refreshing the cloth. "And you have an unnatural temperature," Castiel pointed out, walking back over to dab the cloth against Dean's forehead and the sides of his neck.

"Are you telling me you think I’m hot?" Dean asked, a playful eyebrow arched, exhaling and leaning his head to the side to expose his throat. 

"Your aesthetics aren't the point," Castiel chastised, "If you truly are getting sick, then you need to be getting treatment." He ignored the way his stomach jumped when Dean exposed his neck to Castiel, unsure why it warranted a reaction in the first place. "Are you feeling any better?"

"Yes," he said honestly, groaning softly against the coolness on his flaming skin. "If I truly am getting sick, you should leave. I wouldn't want to give you whatever it is I'm getting."

"Please," Castiel scoffed, "I'm a highly skilled healing alchemist. I couldn't get sick even if I tried." He got the cloth wet again before biting his lip and moving down Dean's torso. Full body cooling would be the most effective.

It felt uncomfortably good. Maybe he was in worse shape than he'd originally thought. He started to get dizzy and he rolled his neck out, groaning softly. "Maybe I am getting sick," he conceded. "But there's so much to do. I'm all we've got right now."

"You have me," Castiel corrected, sitting down next to Dean on the bed to dab the cloth along his back, "And though I still have much to learn about your kingdom, there must be something I can do."

"I'm afraid there isn't," he said, leaning his elbows on his knees, his shoulders flexing as Cas worked down his back. "His majesty has already been questioning my... state of mind in regards to you. Allowing you to assist in business of the country before the merger is finalized is exactly the ammunition he needs to claim my loyalties are in question." He exhaled, putting his face in his hands. "I'm sorry," he said, sitting up. "You don't need my complaining."

"I told you I would do whatever you need, even if that's only listening to you complain," Castiel said with a small smile. He looked over the expanse of Dean's back, suddenly remembering the way Dean had kissed the back of his neck when they had been riding home. Castiel bit his lip for a moment, pausing in his ministrations as he thought. Slowly, he leaned forward, pressing his lips against the heated skin on the back of Dean's neck.

Dean's shoulders visibly tensed, but he leaned into the sensation. He laughed a little. "You like it, don't you?" He said, turning to look back at him. "Kissing, I mean."

"It's new," Castiel said with a small laugh, the tips of his ears turning pink as he looked down at Dean's shoulder, dabbing it with the cloth, "But yes, I've found I do like it."

"I'm glad then," he said with a small laugh. "Though it does beg the question do you like kissing in general or do you simply like kissing me?" He smiled and rolled a shoulder. "Though I suppose you have no basis for comparison yet."

"Though that is true, I've not yet felt the desire to kiss anyone but you, so I suppose that says something," Castiel said, moving to stand so he could make the cloth cool again.

"You never know," He said with an exhale, too weak to hide the distaste in his tone. "You are young still, and certainly no one has expected our marriage to be a faithful one, a product of my sordid reputation I'm afraid." He groaned against the newly cooled cloth. "No one would blame you if you strayed. Explored, later on. It's unfair of anyone to expect you to stay faithful to the likes of me your whole life, when you know nothing else. Nothing better."

Castiel was appalled by even the thought of being unfaithful in his marriage. Even if it wasn't with someone as kind as Dean was, Castiel never would have even entertained the idea. He honored his commitments, no matter the cost to himself. He kept quiet, however and continued with trying to cool Dean down. "Are you going to... stray?" he questioned, staring intently at his hands as he worked, hoping it sounded like more of a casual question than it actually was.

"I know everyone expects me to," He said with a bitter laugh. "But no. Wedding vows are a promise, and I believe one of the first things I said to you was that I'm a man of my word. I don't see why those vows would be an exception to that rule." He turned to look back at Castiel. "Why, were you worried?"

"Yes," Castiel said honestly, his voice unbearably quiet. He sat his hands in his lap and stared down at them, feeling silly. "I... I know that you enjoyed a certain lifestyle," he began slowly, "And there is nothing wrong with that, but I fear that I will not be able to... satisfy you in that way for a while."

"Do not worry yourself so," He said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "I am not so self-satisfying that I need that sort of thing. I enjoyed it plenty, sure. But I don't need it. I would sooner never do anything like that again then dishonor you. You, who is to be a partner, and a friend, throughout the rest of our lives." He looked over at him, observing his stricken face. "Would it have bothered you?" He asked, a smile pulling at his lips. "If I had been unfaithful?"

Castiel turned his face away from Dean as it changed into a rather unflattering shade of bright red as he mumbled an unintelligible response. He knew that the answer was yes, but he felt embarrassed about admitting it to Dean.

Dean removed his arm from around his shoulders so he could reach for his chin, forcing him to turn to look at him. "I missed that," He said, trying to school his features into confusion, fighting the smile that threatened to break out.

Castiel looked at Dean for only a moment before averting his eyes. "Yes," he muttered.

"Why?" Dean asked. He knew very well why, but Castiel needed to understand it for himself. 

"I... I don't..." Castiel fumbled, not exactly sure why, "The thought makes my stomach drop and I feel vaguely nauseous. I... I just... I feel like I don't want you to be with anyone else in that way but me, which is absurd seeing as I can't even be with you in that way. I don't fully understand it."

Dean laughed a little, rubbing the back of his neck. "It makes you jealous," he said pretty confidently. "That's what jealousy feels like. You probably never thought yourself the type."

"I never even thought it a possibility," Castiel said honestly, "Is being jealous... good?"

"Typically, no," he said with a small laugh. "But, the thought of you kissing someone else makes me want to punch people. How does that make you feel?"

"Rather good actually," Castiel said with a shy smile. It made him feel good knowing that Dean felt that strongly about him.

Dean laughed and leaned over, kissing his cheek. "That's good then. As long as it goes both ways it's fine."

Castiel smiled again. He stared at Dean, gaze flickering over his face as his words from earlier that morning echoed around his head. That he should feel free to kiss Dean whenever he pleases. Keeping that in mind, Castiel tried to calm his nervously beating heart as he leaned forward and kissed Dean's lips softly.

Dean smiled into the kiss, moving his hand back to Castiel's chin and running it down his jaw line, moving his lips softly, only enough to trace Castiel's lips. His lips were cool against his overly hot ones and for a second he forgot about the ache in his limbs and the ringing in his head. When Dean pulled away he nosed playfully at Castiel's face. "You're a quick study."

"I've been told that before," Castiel said, blushing. He stood, picking up the cloth and standing in front of Dean. "You need to sleep now."

Dean tried not to look disappointed. "Yeah," he said with a soft smile. "Okay I... thank you for... helping me. It's nice to have someone worrying about me." He laughed, pulling on his fingers. 

"Perhaps when you're feeling better we can continue," Castiel said with a teasing smile. He knew that he was not ready to go very far, but farther would be alright. 

"You're not going to kiss me goodnight?" Dean teased as he eased onto his back, cocking a teasing eyebrow as he linked his finger behind his head. 

Castiel blushed and fidgeted for a moment, looking down at Dean. Finally, he walked back over and slowly leaned over Dean, bracing his hands on the bed. He hovered there for a minute, before working up the courage to lean the rest of the way down and press his lips against Dean's once more.

Dean held him there, moving one hand to his face to gently hold him in place so he could accept the kiss eagerly. He couldn't stop himself from making a soft, pleased sound as their lips connected again. "If only I weren't an honorable man," he swore to himself, shaking his head back and forth. Leaning up one more time to kiss him a final time. "Goodnight, Cas."

"Good night, Dean," Castiel said softly, a shy smile on his face as he left the room. It took him forever to finally fall asleep, his mind running in a hundred different directions.


	4. Chapter 4

Dean too, took forever to fall asleep, too much on his mind. He only managed to sleep for a few short hours before the sun woke him up. It was exactly why he moved to this room, so he would never over sleep, so he would always find time for his men. It was the last day of practice for the week so... he would be able to sleep in tomorrow. He felt like hammered crap. He could barely move his limbs, his whole body ached, and his fever was out of control. He made his way out to practice, slowly, groggily, putting on his usual brave face so no one would know how he was hurting. It wasn't until the end of practice, when it took him. He was up on the platform overlooking the final sparring when he got dizzy. Someone on the ground asked him if he was alright, but he could really hear it. A woman screamed when he fell, crashing down into the dirt unconscious. 

He thought he could hear Sam scream. 

Castiel had slept in, unaware that Dean had woken up to participate in practice. Had he been awake, Castiel never would have permitted that to happen. He wished he had something more that could help Dean, but the wisdom of the Alchemists' Guild was still property of Novak, and if Michael got a whiff of him sharing it with Winchester, he would end the merger, the need for armies be damned. Castiel would have to make do with regular healing practices. He had been in the library researching when the servants ran in to tell him. Dean had collapsed on the training platform. Castiel was out of the library like an arrow fired from a crossbow, running to Dean's quarters where he had undoubtedly been taken. He dashed in and saw a group of people milling around the bed. He pushed through all of them, needing to see Dean.

Dean looked like he'd been boiled red from forehead to toes. His back, shoulders, and neck bruised from where he fell from the platform. He looked like he was melting in his bed, shallow breathing, completely unconscious. 

Sam was on the bed beside him, shaking him, shouting for him to wake up, that he would never forgive him if he died. But Dean didn't respond. His fever was blistering, scalding to the touch.

Castiel didn't look to see who was in the room. He didn't care. He just began shouting.

"I need ice and cool water."  
"Bring me rosemary and thyme."  
"Rat liver and sheep brain as well."  
"I also need a large mortar and pestle."  
"As much cloth as you can bring me."

Everyone stopped and stared at him, completely surprised by his outburst. Castiel stared right back at them. "Now!" he shouted. All the servants in the room left to comply with his orders. He moved to sit on the bed, taking one of Dean's hands in his own. 

Dean groaned, his eyes moving frantically under his eyelids. 

"Can… Can you help him?" Sam asked from the other side of the bed. "That's what you do in Novak right? You... you help people?" The tears choked in his throat. "Please... don't let him die..." 

"I will do everything I can," Castiel said, staring down at Dean in worry. He knew that if he had the proper tools, he would be able to heal Dean rather easily, depending on what exactly was wrong with him. While the servants were finding what he needed, Castiel began checking Dean's vitals, briefly wondering where the court physician was, or the king for that matter.

John stumbled into the room, bearded and scrambling. "What's going on?" He demanded.

Sam's eyes widened in horror. He looked at Castiel, then back to his father. 

"Pardon me, sir," A servant said, followed by four others as they barreled in with the supplies Castiel had requested. 

"Your son has fallen gravely ill," Castiel said briskly, moving to work with the ingredients that the servants had brought, "I'm doing what I can to help him." He poured a bit of water into the mortar before adding the herbs and using the pestle to mix it into a thick paste. He then added the organs, trying not to grimace at the sound it made when he crushed them into the mixture. Soon he was left with a chunky paste of a rather unfortunate color. He lifted the mortar and brought it over to the bedside table. He brought down Dean's covers so that he could remove his shirt and spread the mixture across his chest, along with his forehead.

"You make such a fuss," John said with a groan. "The way the servants caused a fuss it sounded like he'd died." He waved a dismissive hand and was gone as quickly as he'd arrived. 

Sam's little hands bunched into fists on his knees, hating himself for not being brave enough to stand up to him. 

Castiel froze, a look of pure fury crossing his face. He pushed the mortar into Sam's hands before storming out into the corridor where John was just about to turn the corner.

"He is your son!" Castiel screamed, "He may not be dead yet, but he could be soon if treatment is ineffective and you act as though nothing happened. You are a disgrace as a king and a travesty of a father!" 

John turned around slowly, gravely, severity filling his features. "How dare you," John sneered, closing the distance between him and Castiel, looming over the shorter man. "You do not know our family, and you do not know me. You have been here a week, you know nothing of us. You would do well to mind your own business if you would like this Winchesters aid in the coming storm."

Castiel clenched his hands into fists, jaw tight as he stared up at John. "The negligence of my betrothed's father is my business, you selfish, uncaring brute," he growled, refusing to back down, the merger be damned.

John lifted a hand as if to open palmed slap Castiel in the face, but an iron hand caught his wrist before he could make contact. 

"Don't. Hit. Him." Dean said with as much strength as he could muster, his shirt hanging open, the paste still lathered along his chest. His face was severe, but it was all an act. If John pressed, Dean would fail. 

Luckily John bought it. "Check your betrothed," He threatened, wringing his hand out of Dean's grip and turning to storm of. "We do not need Novak, and I'll be damned if I will be disrespected so."

"Just... let him go..." Dean begged as soon as John was out of sight and Castiel looked as if he might protest. Dean collapsed against the wall, his limbs shivering to hold him up. 

Castiel immediately grabbed Dean's arm and brought it around his shoulders, using his free hand to support Dean around his waist. "You didn't have to do that," Castiel said quietly as he supported Dean's weight and brought him back into his chambers, "You shouldn't be exerting any unnecessary energy."

"He... was going to... hurt you..." he panted as he collapsed into bed, closing his eyes because he was just too tired. 

"I just kept shaking him," Sam said, pulling his knees to his chest. "I kept telling him you were in trouble."

"I can take care of myself," Castiel chided, "Unlike someone who worked themselves to the brink of sickness." He went to fetch the bowl of water. He ladled it into the cup at Dean's bedside and supported his head as he held the cup to Dean's lips. "Take small sips," Castiel instructed. Now that Dean was awake, treating him would be much easier, but he was still very weak and would need to be monitored. 

Dean obeyed, wincing as he did, then he shook his head softly and leaned back on the bed, his hand almost unconsciously grabbed for Sam, and Sam held his large hands in both of his tiny ones. "Sam was so worried I thought..." He shook his head. "I promised you... I wouldn't let anything... happen to you..." He said, almost deliriously.

"Everyone is okay, Dean," Sam said holding Dean's scalding hand close to him. "Everyone but you."

Dean smiled weakly. "I'm fine, Sammy."

Castiel looked critically at Dean, knowing without even trying that it was a lie. "You will not leave this bed for a week at least," Castiel declared firmly, picking up the mortar and moving it to the desk, "And you will not leave this room for three. I'm going to make you a tonic that you will take regularly, and we'll see how you progress after that. If it doesn't work, I will try again."

Dean laughed weekly. "Are we to get married in my bedroom, then?" He asked with a small smile, settling his tired eyes on Castiel. 

Castiel looked at Dean with raised brows. "The ceremony's going to be postponed of course," he said, as though that were obvious, "I'm not having you risking your health for legalities."

Dean tilted his head, looking up at Castiel from the bed, too tired to hide the hurt in his face. "A legality..." He repeated, swallowing down a breath. "Is that what it is..." He cleared his throat and turned away to lay on his side. "Well if I am going to get well, I am going to need to sleep." He squeezed Sam's hand one more time. "I'll be fine, Sammy. I promise."

Sam nodded and scooted off the bed, presumably to go to his own room. 

"Dean," Castiel said quietly once Sam had left the room, "Dean please look at me." The lump on the bed made no move to turn over. "Dean, I didn't mean it the way it sounded," he said, coming to sit on the edge of the bed, Dean's back to him, "I just meant that the ceremony itself has been reduced to a legal merging of kingdoms, at least in our case. Please Dean, I did not mean to trivialize the way either of us may feel." 

Dean pretended to sleep, his chest rising and falling slowly. He tried to ignore Castiel's words because he really did need to sleep. He thought about turning to make Castiel talk about what he may or may not be feeling, but he was in not state to have the upper hand. He needed to sleep. When Castiel didn't press, Dean actually did succumb to sleep rather quickly, the exhaustion taking over easily. 

He slept the rest of the day and well into the night, completely oblivious to any treatments that had been going on while he was unconscious. He blinked his eyes away slowly. He was on his back, facing his window. It was still the dead of night. 

Castiel sighed as he heard Dean fall asleep. He knew the other needed the rest, but Castiel wanted to be sure that Dean was not angry with him. Castiel stayed with Dean as he slept. He checked his vitals, made poultices to place on key points of his body, created a few different variants of the most effective healing tonic he knew of, and made sure to preserve the rest of the paste. They could need it some day. He had been starting to get tired himself as the night wore on, but he would not let himself sleep. Not while Dean needed him. It wasn't until he was kneeling by the bed, having just slipped a poultice under Dean's lower back, that he fell asleep slumped against the side of the bed, head resting on the mattress.

Dean felt better by miles. He could already feel his fever had broken; he wasn't sweating anymore, though his sheets were soaked. He sat up, groaning softly before seeing Cas asleep at his side. He exhaled through his nose and ran his hand over the back of his head. He probably hadn't left at all. He couldn't help but smile. 

He got out of bed gently, going into his little bathroom with a wash basin and sponging off his chest and shoulders from the different tacky substances on him. He washed his face in cold water and hung over the basin, still feeling a dull ache in his limbs. He went back and slid the wet sheet gently off the bed so it didn't wake Cas when he did it, then went to lift Castiel in his arms, taking great pains not to wake him. He walked around the bed and laid Castiel down on the clean side of the bed before making his way around. He drank a glass of water and rolled his neck and shoulders out before turning to lie back down.

Some part of Castiel vaguely registered that he was being moved, but it didn't have much of an effect. He slept soundly, merely groaning a bit as he got comfortable when he felt that he was laid down. He was too asleep to care where he was or who was moving him, only that he got to remain asleep. He rolled in slightly, more towards the middle of the bed without realizing. He was used to spreading out a bit.

Castiel rolled toward the middle of the bed, ending up using Dean's bicep as a pillow since his hands were behind his head. Dean tried not to laugh, but he grinned openly, shifting his arms so he was more comfortable and wrapping an arm around Castiel's shoulders, pulling him into his chest and resting his chin on the top of Castiel's head. 

It was the most sound, dreamless sleep he'd had in a long time.

Castiel's brow furrowed and he squeezed his eyes shut tighter as sunlight poured into the room, directly onto his face. He groaned and turned over, only to be stopped by a warm mass. Castiel opened his eyes to see Dean in the bed next to him. Or rather, Castiel was in bed with Dean. This was Dean's room after all. He blushed when he realized that Dean's arms were wrapped around him and tried to settle down again so that Dean would continue to sleep.

"Going somewhere?" Dean asked, blinking his eyes open slowly. He'd been awake for about a quarter of an hour, but just didn't want to wake Castiel, or stop holding him. He tightened his grip around Castiel's shoulders as he stretched. "Try not to freak out," He groaned. "Nothing happened. I woke up in the middle of the night and you were sleeping on the floor."

"I wasn't freaking out," Castiel grumbled, despite the fact that he had actually been freaking out just a little. He had figured nothing had happened seeing as Dean had been so sick and Castiel was positive he would have woken up if anything like that had been going on. He wiggled until he could see Dean's eyes, looking at his pupils and wishing he could check for a healthy pulse without seeming strange. "How do you feel?"

"Better," he said, removing his arm from around Cas to allow him to leave if he so wished. "Fever broke last night, I stopped sweating. I don't ache nearly as much. I told you I just needed to sleep."

"And copious medicinal healing," Castiel scoffed. The skin where Dean's arm had been resting felt cold when he removed it. He didn't know if it was an invitation to leave or stay, but he chose not to move and remain where he was, even though it was extremely close to Dean.

"I'm sorry," he said after a bout of silence. "About everything. Working myself sick... my father..." He groaned. "He's... he's not usually like that. Well... he didn't used to be. Before he started drinking. Before my mother..." He exhaled.

"You don't have to explain or apologize for anything except for making Sam and I worry," Castiel said firmly. He would not have Dean trying to cover for his father. If he was a strong as he was forcing his sons to be, then he wouldn't drink and hide like a coward. 

"Well then," He turned to look down into Castiel's face. "How would you like me to apologize?"

Castiel got lost for a moment, the possible implication of Dean's words and him being so close causing his brain to malfunction. When he finally came back into reality, he just gave as much of a shrug as he could. "However you believe you should," he managed to get out.

Dean used his free arm to reach across and take Castiel by the chin and tilt his head up, kissing him slightly more heatedly than their past kisses. Only slightly, barely at all. His lips only a little more parted, just enough that the very tip of his tongue brushed teasingly along Castiel’s lips. He kept it short, non-threatening. "I'm sorry for worrying you," he said in a sort of breathless whisper, looking down into his face. 

Castiel kept his eyes closed for a moment after Dean spoke, reeling from the kiss, taking a deep breath before opening his eyes to look at Dean. "I'm not sure I forgive you yet," he said boldly, before moving a hesitant hand to rest on Dean's upper arm.

Dean’s lips twitched as he fought a smile, moving in to repeat the kiss. This time a little more lingering, a little more movement, his tongue only barely brushing past the threshold of his lips, getting only a small taste of his mouth on his tongue. Which in hindsight it was a terrible idea because now all he wanted was to go deeper. 

But he didn't, he contained himself and pulled away, his knuckles brushing down the line of his jaw as he exhaled against his mouth, taking an extra moment before opening his eyes. "I'm sorry I worried you," he breathed against his mouth.

Castiel didn't open his eyes for a long minute. His heart was racing, his head was spinning, and every nerve in his body seemed to be on fire. He opened his eyes and looked into Dean's. Castiel then realized that his hand was holding Dean's arm in what had to be an uncomfortably tight grip and so he slowly released it, flexing his fingers a bit. He wanted more. Not much more, he knew himself well enough to know that, but more nonetheless. There were two options here. Castiel could say he forgave Dean and get up like nothing was wrong or he could take what he wanted. He remembered Dean's words about being the child in front of candy whose hands were bound, and he didn't want to exacerbate the situation. So he swallowed hard and nodded. "I-I forgive you," he stammered, unable to keep from looking at Dean's lips, embarrassed by how breathless he sounded.

Dean swallowed. He knew Castiel wanted more, he could see it in his face. He ran his hand along Castiel's jaw, then down his throat. Castiel had been bold about the first time, him granting Dean forgiveness mean that he wanted to stop, right?

Dean didn't take the chance. "Well, that's a shame," He teased, pressing his lips to Castiel's forehead a few times. "But, thank you. For everything."

"It was nothing," Castiel said quietly, "No more than should be expected of a decent human being." He leaned into Dean's touch, eyes closing for a brief moment. He wanted to be able to do more. He wanted to be someone that Dean could be satisfied with. To do that, he would have to change just the tiniest bit. Not be as shy and hesitant. Take more control. 

Slowly, Castiel brought a hand to rest on Dean's cheek, cupping his face. Before he could lose his nerve, he leaned closer, lips just barely brushing Dean's. "Thank you for your apology," he murmured before pressing forward, trying to mimic what Dean had just done to him.

Dean made a soft noise as Castiel kissed him, trying to keep his urges in check as he wrapped his arms around Castiel's back, holding him closer, pressing into the kiss greedily. The kiss was still mild as far as kisses went, but it sent electricity through him. Dean didn't press further, but he certainly didn't pull away either. As long as Castiel wanted to kiss him, Dean was all too content to lie there and oblige. He wasn't going to demand more of him, but he wasn't going to sacrifice either. 

Castiel pressed closer to Dean on instinct, their bodies flush together. He brought his second hand up to hold the back of Dean's neck, letting the other slide down to his chest. After a moment, he pulled away, panting slightly. Castiel rested his forehead against Dean's, eyes closed. "I only know what you teach me," he murmured breathlessly, "If you want something, you need to show me. I wouldn't mind learning more."

Dean's jaw set, pieces of his strength breaking away with every word Castiel uttered. "I uh... Don't think that's..." He cleared his throat and closed his eyes, trying to piece his resolve back together. He sat up, pushing Castiel down next to him and leaning on his elbow. "I think that's enough for today," he said, amazed he managed to piece the sentence together. He hoped Cas didn't read it as him not wanting to do more... but he really... just... shouldn't. He cleared his throat and smiled down at Cas before kissing his nose. "Besides," He as he sat up completely. "I wasted all of yesterday." 

Castiel visibly deflated but quickly forgot about it when Dean sat up. "Oh no," he said shaking his head, "I don't care how much better you feel, you're not leaving this room for at least another day." He sat up himself and pushed Dean back down gently but firmly. "I'm not having you relapse because you overwork yourself again," Castiel said, giving Dean a stern look, "I will allow some work to be brought to you, but I'm going to monitor you and ensure you get the proper amounts of food and drink, along with rest. End of story."

Dean exhaled. "While your concern for me is heart-warming... I really don't think that's necessary." He looked down at Castiel's hand on his chest then back up at Cas over him. "But I can see you will be immovable on the subject." He put his hands over Castiel's hands and lifted them to his mouth, kissing his fingertips. "So I suppose I am at your mercy." 

Had Dean not just rejected him, Castiel would have taken that in a completely different light. He wondered what he had done to make Dean not want him. Unless of course, Dean never truly wanted him. It was entirely possible that he was only putting up a front, okay with kissing for the sake of their partnership, but not wanting to go any further. Castiel understood. He was inexperienced and not an ideal partner. Though, he couldn't convince himself that his heart didn't fall into his stomach at the thought. "I'll send for some breakfast and fresh water," he said with a small smile, pulling his hand away so he could climb out of the bed.

Dean cocked his head to the side as Castiel walked out of the room, confusion plain on his face. Why did he feel as if something had broken between them? Castiel's demeanor changed noticeably suddenly seeming rather uncomfortable around him. Maybe he was still upset with him for getting so sick, maybe he'd pressed too much, being too familiar with him by kissing him at every opportunity. He groaned and put his hands over his eyes. Maybe he needed to take a step back. It was probably the right choice anyway. He kept acting so familiar with Castiel and driving himself crazy in the process. It was only a matter of time before he snapped and did something to push Castiel away forever. He didn't want to cause a rift between them that would make their partnership any more difficult for them than it already was. 

I'm not having you risking your health for legalities. 

The word echoed through his head. He had to keep reminding himself that Castiel was only participating due to loyalty to his country. 

"How are you feeling?"

Dean's eyes snapped up at the hauntingly familiar voice. 

"Father," Dean said, sitting up immediately. "Fine... fine I'm just..."

"This is not the first time you worked yourself ill," John droned, taking the empty seat next to Dean.

"No. It's not. There's just been a lot to see to."

"Well. Once the merger is finalized and our debts are paid, our workload will decrease substantially." Dean wondered what work he was talking about since he did very little of it. "I worry for your loyalties, boy."

"Father, how can you question my loyalties? You know Winchester is always first in my heart."

"This... boy is in your head," John spat, whiskey on his breath. "Do not be tricked by his pretty face and kind words. If anything were to happen to me, Novak would not hesitate to send you to a war you could not win, leaving a native of Novak in power of Winchester. Winchester would be lost forever."

"No… No, Sam would be rightful heir."

"Do not be foolish," he sneered. "Do you think with your betrothed as king he would raise Sam as you have raised him? Do you think he would surrender power to Sam when he could rule the most powerful military in the world?"

"I... He's not..."

"Get dressed and Keep your wits about you. Novaks are clever. Too clever. I only agreed to this merger because Michael seemed all too eager to get rid of the youngest Novak, worthless though he is."

"He's not worthless! He is going to be family so you'd do well not to speak of him so." 

"We have a meeting, Dean. You seem well enough to join me."

Dean exhaled, conceding the point and getting up to get dressed. "I am only well enough to stand because Castiel made me thus," Dean said. "I will concede your point about not knowing his intentions, but he is not worthless, and for my part I believe him to be good. I would appreciate that you at least appreciate my perspective."

"We will see," John said as he stood to lead Dean out of the room. "His true character will undoubtedly be revealed soon enough."

Castiel returned to the room with a tray containing two plates of food and a pitcher of water. "I just picked up the traditional breakfast," he said, backing into the room since he couldn't push it open with his hands. When he turned around he was met with an empty room. Dean was gone. He hadn't even had the decency to tell Castiel he was leaving. Now he couldn't even stand to stay in the same room as Castiel. He must have sensed that Castiel was getting too attached for a friendship and decided to distance himself. He felt tears sting the corners of his eyes for a moment before he shook his head, resolve strengthening. He left the tray on Dean's desk carelessly before stalking out of the room. 

"Wake up," he called, slamming into Balthazar's room. His blonde friend jerked awake, rubbing his eyes.

"What is it? Is Dean alright?" Balthazar asked with a yawn, "I heard what happened."

"He's fine," Castiel seethed.

"Then why the hostility?" Balthazar questioned, brows raised.

"I don't want to talk about it," Castiel declared firmly, "We're going out. I want to leave the castle for today."

"Alright, alright," Balthazar soothed, "Let's change and then we'll take your mind of whatever it is." Castiel nodded before leaving to get changed in his room.

The meeting was unusually hostile. Maybe it was just Dean wasn't up to it today and so John took over the reigns. Everything turns hostile that way. He breathed a sigh of relief when the meeting ended, stumbling back to his room. "Look, Cas about ear-" his room was empty. Just a tray of food that looked a few hours old. Maybe he'd gone for his own meal. He sat and ate a bit before drinking more water, but when Castiel didn't come back he wondered if he'd truly hurt his feelings. It kicked something in his gut so he went looking for him. When the servants informed him that he and Balthazar had gone out, Dean requested that the servants alert Castiel that his presence was requested and headed back to his room. Going out looking for him was going to do nothing but anger him further as he wasn't even supposed to leave for the meeting. He groaned and resolved himself to have his sheets changed, bathe, and shave before getting back in bed and trying to sleep. 

Balthazar and Castiel sat in the tavern, Balthazar entertaining about three possible partners while still managing to drag a grumpy Castiel into the conversation as well. Balthazar drunk plenty, already beginning to slur slightly, though Castiel had drunk nothing. He just didn't understand. The longer he thought about it, the more saddened and angry he became. Everything seemed to have been going so well, and now Dean didn't even want to speak with him. At least, that's what he thought before a servant from the castle came into the tavern, informing him that Prince Dean had requested his presence. Castiel scowled a bit before informing Balthazar that he would be leaving.

The walk back was completely silent, the servant not engaging in any kind of conversation. It gave Castiel plenty more time to think. He resolved that if Dean wanted distance, he would give him distance. As much as it hurt him, Castiel wanted Dean to be happy. He made his way to Dean's chambers once he was back at the castle, knocking twice before entering. "You requested my presence, my lord?" 

Dean was leaning in his window, having given up on sleep and turned as soon as he heard Castiel voice. His face brightened, then dropped at his words. "My lord?" He said, tilting his head to the side. "Since when do you call me 'my lord'?" 

"Since you made it clear that you wanted no more than our friendship, my lord," Castiel answered coolly, remaining just inside the doorway. 

Dean narrowed his eyes, mouth open like he was going to say something, but couldn't think of anything. "Wait, what? When did I do that? Is this about me leaving?" He approached letting his hands fall to his sides. "Cas, my dad came in and saw I was well enough to sit through a meeting and made me go. I came right back. I haven't left since. I didn't even bring any work with me. I wasn't trying to... to... disrespect your process, I’m sorry."

"This has nothing to do with you leaving," Castiel answered, only lying slightly, "You pushed me away this morning." He looked down at his feet, feeling embarrassed about being so much like a coward, so he rushed to continue. "I understand. I cannot satisfy you in that way. I am inexperienced and not an ideal partner. If this is what you would prefer, then I will have to be content with it, my lord."

"I... what?" he said, his face clearly baffled. "Cas, please, come... sit down. Talk to me. I have no idea what you're talking about."

Castiel stood for a moment before walking over and sitting down on the bed stiffly. "I don't see what it is that you do not understand," he said quietly, "It was your decision."

Dean shut the door and pulled the chair in front of Castiel to sit in front of him, leaning his elbows on his knees and looking up at him. "What... what are we talking about? When did I push you away?"

"This morning when we woke up," Castiel said quietly, looking down at his fingers, "You declined my... request to continue our... activities. There is nothing wrong with that, if that is how you would prefer us to be than that's how we shall be."

Dean was stunned. There was just no other word for it. His hands clenched into fists and his expression darkened. "Is that what you think that was?" He growled. "Is that why you... you think I..." He stood up like a shot and started to walk around the room, trying to keep the explosion in his chest from reaching his face. He failed and when he passed his desk, his hand fell on a small wooden box and he flung it across the room, shattering it on the wall. "Okay," he said, with a hard exhale trying to get himself under control. "First of all, I was not pushing you away. I was trying to not... be.... how do I explain this to you?" He ran his hands down his face. He was struggling trying to think of how in the hell he was supposed to explain the feeling of frustration to someone who had never felt it. 

"When I kiss you," He decided to start with. "How does it feel? Do you get hot?"

Castiel blushed a bit as he thought back to that morning and how he had felt. "My heart races, my head spins, and every nerve in my body seems to be on fire," he said honestly, sparing a glance up at Dean. He was a little worried about his reaction and was still a bit scared to see what he would say now.

"Magnify that... by a thousand," He said simply, hands on his hips as he looked down at Castiel, he ran his hands up his face and over the top of his head. "Lord, it feels like I'm walking a tightrope over an ocean of fire and one misstep and everything I care about will burn. You have no idea the strength I need to keep my eyes on the exit and my feet steady. But I can't fail, because if I fail you are the one who suffers and I never want to be the cause of your pain." He was half shouting by the time he finished, almost pleading. "Cas I feel that every time you walk into a room, when you smile at me, when your... hand accidentally brushes mine." He leaned over Cas, forcing him to lean back slightly to look up at him, his features growing severe. He traced two fingers up the line of Castiel's throat. "It has steadily gotten stronger with every passing day and though I consider myself a strong man, I have never been so weak as when I'm fighting the fires that burn in my skin when we touch. I wasn't pushing you away. I am trying to control myself." 

"I...I," Castiel stammered, propped up on his elbows as he looked up at Dean with wide eyes, "I'm not entirely sure I understand." He swallowed, feeling Dean's fingers against his throat and suddenly wondered if his honesty would be appreciated. He tried to think about what Dean was feeling and how it would translate to what they did and the time they spent together. How it would make things difficult. How it would push one to the edge. Castiel found himself wishing he could feel such a powerful thing like that.

Dean leaned over Castiel like a predator, leveling his gaze at him, keeping the light touch under his chin. "No." he said severely. "No, you don't understand," He confirmed. Now he pressed his palm flush against Castiel’s throat, to run back down the way he'd come up. From his jaw, down to his collarbone, down to the center of his chest, feeling the taunt muscles as his hand burned even through his shirt. He used the position of his hand to push Castiel backward, forcing him to lay back as he leaned down over him. "I guarantee you don't understand." He leaned his face down into the crook of Castiel's neck near his collarbone, putting his hands on the bed to hold himself up. He didn't make contact; in fact, he made sure not a single part of his skin was touching Castiel's. Though he knew Castiel was expecting a kiss, but he didn't. He simply exhaled a hot, fiery breath along his collarbone and up his throat, feeling his own breath bounce back from his skin. He did it again this time along the line of his jaw and down to his chin.

It was like twenty carriages had run over his lungs, Castiel's breath left him so quickly. His eyes fluttered closed and he waited to feel Dean's touch. When none came he opened his eyes to look up at him. "D-Dean," he said shakily. The predatory look in Dean's eyes, the way he had run his hands along Castiel's body sent electricity up and down his spine. A strange feeling began coursing through him, his blood rushing as he watched Dean with wide eyes, not afraid or confused, only waiting.

The sound of his name made Dean clench the blanket in his fists. He cursed in his head, having thought he was going into this perfectly in control, but he had obviously been mistaken. "It burns, doesn't it," he said, not really a question, a statement of fact murmured against Castiel's lips. One of his hands slowly plucked the buttons of Castiel's shirt open. "Like something is overtaking you, and you don't know how to fight it, or if you even want to fight it. You try to hang on, because you're afraid of what will happen if you let go, but the fire keeps crawling and it keeps burning and burning." He pressed his lips to Castiel's jaw line, not kissing it exactly, simply trailing the feather-light touch along until it reached his ear. "This is what I deal with, Castiel," he growled, tracing his fingertips down the center of Castiel's bare chest, lifting his head to look down at him. "This is what I fight when you are near me, and this is why I push you away."

A whisper-soft whimper left Castiel's lips as his jaw dropped open slightly, something he had not even thought he was capable of. His face went red, embarrassed by his barely-there outburst. Dean was right. His entire body felt like it was on fire, like he wanted nothing more than to just go and go until he couldn't anymore. He suddenly understood why Dean had pushed him away, why he had not just let himself go. It was a scary feeling, and even Castiel was a bit afraid of getting caught up in it but feeling Dean's hands on his skin, he found he didn't rally care about much else besides that fact. 

Dean swallowed a hard, loud breath, raising himself off Castiel and crouching onto the balls of his feet between his legs, letting his forehead fall onto Castiel's knee. He was confident he'd made his point and he didn't want to do anything Castiel didn't want, or even if he thought he wanted it, wasn't ready for. He had to rein it in. His hands gripped the blanket in his fists as he sat there, crouched in front of Cas, breathing heavy and labored. "I'm sorry you thought I didn't want you," He said softly, shaking his head even as his forehead still rested on Castiel's knee hanging off the bed. "It would be all too easy to kiss you senseless and sweep you up before you understood what was happening but I don't want that... I don't want to take anything you do not want to give..." He exhaled a shuttering breath, moving his hands from the blanket to Castiel's thighs and moving them down to hold him by the back of his calves as he stayed there, keeping his eyes on the floor, leaning his forehead on his knee, doing anything he can not to look up at Castiel, to keep himself from doing something they'd both regret. 

Castiel lay there, breathing hard, eyes shut as he concentrated. He had to relax. After a few moments, he sat up, looking down at Dean who kneeled in front of him. Castiel smiled a bit, running a soft hand through the other man's hair. He opened his mouth to respond when Balthazar chose that moment to burst into the room.

"Cassie, you dog!" he slurred, stumbling into the room. Castiel was surprised that he'd gotten so drunk so early. 

"Look at you being deflowered," he went on, a cheeky grin on his face. Castiel felt as though his entire body went red. 

"I am not!" he protested. Sure, he felt like he wouldn't mind it all that much, but that was not what had happened. Even Castiel knew that 'deflowering' took more than a few teasing touches and whispered words. 

"Balthazar, old friend," Dean said, gravel in his tone as he looked up from where he was kneeling. "You should know better than to burst into my room without knocking."

"Well, I couldn't very well not check up on Cassie," he slurred. "He was so upset, earlier, just moping like child over the big bad prince hurting his feelings."

Dean looked up at him with an eyebrow cocked. "Moping, were you?" 

"He was inconsolable," Balthazar added with a hiccup. "But I can see things are now going.... erm... swimmingly. I'll leave you to it, big boy."

Castiel flopped back onto the bed with a groan, throwing his arms over his face. "I'm going to kill him," he said, words muffled. Balthazar really did have a knack for the worst timing known to man, however he did always know when his presence was not wanted. 

Dean cleared his throat. The outburst had at least helped him get himself under control. He kissed Castiel's knee and stood his full height. "Are we okay, now? I can't stand the thought of you thinking I don't want you."

"We're okay," Castiel said, face still trapped under his arms, "You've made your position quite clear on the subject and I highly doubt there will be any confusion from this point on."

"Then why are you still hiding from me?" he asked tilting his head to the side as he looked down at him with a small smile. 

"Embarrassment, for the most part," Castiel mumbled, arms still firmly in place.

"Embarrassment? Why are you embarrassed?" Dean turned and sat on the bed beside Castiel, hands clasped between his knees. "Because of Balthazar? Surely you are far past the point of letting him embarrass you."

"I've... I've never had anyone make me feel the way you do nor anyone who felt such a way about me," Castiel muttered, "It's strange and flattering and embarrassing and wonderful."

"I know," He said with a soft exhale. "It's all new to you... a lot of it is new to me too." He put a comforting hand on Castiel's thigh. "Are you..." He cleared his throat. "Are you frustrated? Have you never... I mean you must have... at some point..." he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well I'm not very good at these kinds of talks." 

"I know what you're trying to refer to and no, I have not," Castiel said, securing his arms more tightly over his face, "Such activities are considered 'unwholesome' and Michael ensured that I would not have opportunity to do it. Balthazar, however, sings its praises."

"What." Dean droned out. "Well, I suppose that's for the best because once you do you may never stop." He laughed a little. He peeled Castiel's arms away from his face, leaning down next to him on his elbow. "Hey, it's okay."

"It is not okay," Castiel huffed, looking over at Dean, "It's actually rather pathetic. Though I know for a fact that Michael did it for more than just our culture. He wanted me to be of the highest possible value and apparently innocence sells. I heard him say it himself."

"What an absolute twat," Dean said an exhale. "I find it rather disgusting how he's treated you as a commodity rather than family." He leaned down to kiss Castiel's chest right between where his shirt still hung open. "I could always..." He kissed him again. "Ruin your 'value,'' one more time, closer to his neck. "Just to ensure that he won't take you from me."

Castiel sucked in a breath, fists clenched into the blanket below him. What exactly did Dean mean? After their discussion, Castiel knew that he couldn't mean going all the way. That was a line he was not ready to cross. However, the things in between? It was still up in the air. Castiel found himself getting more and more curious as to what whatever it was would feel like. Swallowing hard, Castiel nodded slowly, staring down at Dean. "Alright," he breathed.

Dean's shoulders tensed, but he tried to stay calm. The castle was all going to sleep around now and they could absolutely...

He cleared his throat, looking down into his face. "Are you sure?" He asked, concern obvious as he kissed his cheek. "I would need to touch you," he said. "Intimately. I will go slowly and I will not go too far, but if you want to release that tension in your chest I would need to at least touch you." He slid his hands under the side of his shirt, running his warm hand down his bare side underneath it. 

"I'm sure," Castiel said, his voice honestly sounded a lot more confident than he truly was, but he did want this. He didn't want to remain the innocent, mostly obedient little child that he had been for Michael. And he wanted to be with Dean. "Trust that if I need you to, I will tell you to stop."

"Very well," he said as he stood, exhaling a long breath. He turned and held his hands out, taking Castiel's hands and bringing him to his feet. He put his hands on either side of Castiel's face, kissing him softly. "Open your mouth more," he instructed softly, nudging Castiel's lips with his, urging them open.

Castiel obeyed, parting his lips slowly. His heart felt as though it was trying to beat its way out of his chest, it was racing so quickly.

Dean dipped his tongue past the threshold of Castiel's lips, his tongue touching his as he lapped up the taste of his mouth gently. He made a soft noise of approval as he did, letting Castiel adjust to the open kisses as he slide his hands up his stomach and up his chest, pushing his shirt off his shoulders and sliding it down his arms gently. 

Castiel's eyes had popped open in surprise at the first touch of Dean's tongue, but soon fluttered closed again. He followed Dean's lead, going with the natural flow of the kiss, participating as well as he could considering he wasn't exactly sure how. He pulled his arms out of the sleeves as Dean slid them down his arms. He would have felt more self-conscious if it had really registered, but his mind was a little preoccupied. 

Dean deepened the kiss slightly, running his hands down Castiel’s newly bare chest appreciatively, thumbing over his nipples and tracing his fingers over his hipbones. He kept his mind as alert as possible, trying to discern any signs of discomfort, demanding he stay in control so he could concentrate on Cas. He dipped his fingers past the threshold of Castiel's trousers, just enough to tug on the waistline, pausing to give Castiel the opportunity to stop him. 

Castiel was having trouble breathing properly. He pulled away from the kiss, panting as he laid his head back, eyes screwed shut. He bit his lip, feeling uncontrollable sounds beginning to build in his chest. A small moan slipped past his lips and he felt his body moving with out his permission, arching into Dean's hands. He couldn't say he disagreed with the idea. He'd never felt such intense sensations from anything in his entire life.

Dean swallowed and exhaled a slow breath, moving in to kiss his throat, open and passionately as he unclasped his pants and started to slowly slide them down Castiel's legs. He knew he would probably be self conscious about being seen, so he pushed him back to sitting on the bed, kissing him so he knew Dean wasn't trying to look at him. He slowly pushed his pants off of his feet before sliding his hand slowly up his leg, over his bare hip, up his side and to his face to hold him as they kissed. 

Castiel didn't have the words to describe what was happening to him. Breathy moans and whimpers were swallowed by Dean's kiss. He could feel the blood rushing out of his head and down to his lower half. Dean's hands felt like iron brands on his skin, leaving trails of fire in their wake. Castiel followed what his body told him. He threw his arms around Dean's neck, grappling for purchase. His hips pushed up, searching for something that was missing, though Castiel couldn't for the life of him tell you what it was. 

Easy, Dean told himself, concentrate, this isn't about you. 

He groaned into Castiel's mouth, wrapping an arm around his back to put him in the center of the bed with his left arm. His right hand slowly traced down Castiel's chest, down his abdomen, and finally traced his fingers along the length of him gently. Then he wrapped his large hand around his shaft and began to move it in long, slow strokes. 

Castiel broke the kiss, throwing his head back with a moan. "Dean," he whimpered, completely lost in the sensations. He pushed up into Dean's hand, biting his lip, eyes screwed shut. He'd never known that the correct stimulation could bring him this kind of feeling. 

Dean moved his hand slowly, kissing his throat, down his chest, tonguing over his nipple as his hand squeezed and rubbed in all the right ways. Thumbing over the head, allowing it to press into the sensitive vein on the underside. 

Castiel arched his back towards Dean, letting out an embarrassingly loud moan. "D-Dean," he stammered, breathing heavily, "Dean, I feel strange." It felt as though a coil was tightening in his stomach, bringing him closer to something, though he didn't know what.

"It's okay," Dean said, soothingly into his ear. "Breathe, stop fighting." He kissed his jaw line. "I've got you," he said softly. "I've got you." 

The moment Dean finished speaking, Castiel was coming, the other man's name on his lips. His muscles clenched, his vision went black for a fraction of a second as he experienced the most amazing feeling he'd ever had in his life.

Dean had never seen someone’s first orgasm before. He'd been with virgins rarely, but even they had managed to pleasure themselves at some point. Dean watched his face, surprised and taken aback by the pleasure that coursed through him, and it ignited a fire in Dean, made his skin burn, made every part of himself want to melt into Castiel's skin. "That's it," he said through his teeth, encouragingly. Waiting until Castiel's body lay slack and spent against him. He exhaled a hard breath and tried to make the flurry in his head ease away. He kissed Castiel up his throat, along his jaw. He rolled back to reach for the towel on his chair and started to gently wipe up the evidence of Castiel's release. "Intense, isn't it?" He asked with a small laugh, swallowing hard as he tried to get his own frustration under control.

"I really don't know what to say," Castiel admitted honestly, "I'd never thought feeling like that was possible." He lay there, feeling completely and utterly spent. He'd never felt so relaxed and sated in his life. As his mind slowly cleared away the fog, it suddenly came to him in striking detail everything that had just happened. Someone had seen him naked. Someone had been in contact with the most intimate parts of his body. That someone had been Dean. Somehow, that made it all okay. His self-consciousness didn't matter anymore. Dean hadn't judged him, he had only made Castiel feel amazing. It was then that it occurred to him that Dean may be having a similar problem. It was Castiel's understanding the activities such as these with a partner were more or less meant to be reciprocated. He sat up a bit, looking over at Dean with a light flush on his cheeks. "Do... Do you need... Would you like me to... I could try..." Castiel wasn't sure how to phrase it, but he knew he wanted to make Dean feel good as well if it was within his power.

"I'm okay," Dean said, sitting up next to Cas. He was lying, of course, but he wasn't about to rush Castiel. "Baby steps, Cas. You just worry about you, just lay down and bask in the afterglow." He laughed a little and stood, removing his shirt and pants so he was just in his underwear. He peeled back the covers and motioned for Cas to join him. "Come on... you must be tired. Let me hold you and I'll be a happy man."

Castiel wasn't entirely convinced, but he wasn't going to make Dean let him. Trying to squash down his embarrassment about being nude, Castiel climbed under the covers with Dean, red painting his cheeks. He supposed reciprocation would have to wait for another day. He stifled a yawn, not wanting to appear as tired as he had actually become. It was surprisingly draining, though in a very relaxing way.

Dean pulled Cas into his chest, inhaling his scent and groaning softly. "It felt good, right?" He said softly, nuzzling the top of Castiel's head. "No regrets?" 

"No regrets," Castiel confirmed quietly, snuggling further into Dean's embrace, "It felt like nothing I've ever known."

"It only gets better from there," He said with a soft sigh, nosing into the top of Castiel's head. "Thank you for trusting me." 

"You've given me no reason not to," Castiel whispered, slowly falling asleep as his eyes drifted shut.

Dean grinned and squeezed his arms around Castiel. It took quite a while for him to fall asleep, frustrated as he was. But eventually he did. And when he woke up in the morning, Castiel's back was pressed up against his chest, their arms around each other, fingers and legs entwined. Dean tucked his face into the back of his neck and inhaled and exhaled slowly, feeling the back of Castiel's hair move with his breath. 

Castiel woke up slowly, feeling incredibly relaxed and refreshed. He could feel Dean's arms around him, his warm chest pressed up against his back. He could feel their legs tangled together and it was then that it occurred to him that he was still naked. He blushed slightly before he pressed further against Dean. He could tell the other was awake by the pattern of his breathing. "Good morning," he murmured.

"It certainly is," Dean mumbled groggily into the back of Castiel's neck, kissing along the length of his throat as consciousness came back to him. His arms entwined around Castiel's torso tighter, palming the contours of his torso as he legs stretched out. "I could get used to this," He said with a small chuckle as he nuzzled the back of Castiel's head. 

Castiel hummed in agreement, wiggling around until he could burrow into Dean's chest to hide from the sunlight in his eyes. He wasn't a really morning person. "What do you have to do today?" he asked through a yawn, eyes still shut. Not accusatory, just inquiring so he could figure out how to occupy his time.

"Well, if I were a smart man, I would head straight to the war room, and work until I couldn't keep my eyes open anymore." He tilted Castiel's chin up so he could kiss him softly a few times. "But I was never known for being a very smart man." 

Castiel smiled, opening his eyes to look up at Dean. "So what do you plan on doing instead?" he asked, bringing a hand up to rest on his collarbone.

"How about we take a bath, and then go have breakfast in town? Sammy doesn't have classes today so we can all go spend the day in town. Rose’s brother, Tyson, he's one of my guards in training, he says she hasn't stopped talking about you since we went into town?" 

"That sounds like it would be amazing," Castiel said with a bright smile, leaning up to kiss the underside of Dean's jaw a few times softly. He couldn't imagine a better way to spend the day.

"Excellent," Dean said, lingering in bed for a few more minutes as he kissed Castiel. He got out of bed first so he could hand Castiel his pants as he headed into the bathroom to draw a hot bath. "Do you want Balthazar to join us?" He asked from inside the bathroom, using a hot towel to soften the skin on his face so he could shave. "He'll never let us hear the end of it if we go without him." 

"You're probably right," Castiel sighed, pulling on his pants as soon as Dean was out of sight, "Though I do wonder how he's feeling after the amount of ale he drank." He truly hoped that Balthazar wouldn't remember barging into Dean's room last night, especially since his drunken words had proved to be true.

"You could very well leave him a note telling him you tried to wake him up and he was having none of it," He teased from the bathroom, popping his head out with a cheeky grin. "He's not above lying, by any means. I don't see why you should be." He returned to the mirror and began lathering his face with shaving cream before running the blade along his throat and jaw line. "Are you still alright with what happened?" He asked casually as he shaved. "I don't want you to think that I..." He paused as he looked for the right word. "Seduced you into making a poor decision."

"As seductive as you are," Castiel said with a small grin, "You would have a hard time forcing me to do something I truly did not want to do." He waited until Dean pulled the blade away from his skin to rinse it before he stepped up behind the other man. He wrapped his arms around Dean's waist and buried his face in the back of his neck so that Dean couldn't see him blushing. "No regrets," he whispered.

Dean smiled as he wiped the remnants of shaving cream from his face, turning around in Castiel's grip, pressing their bare chests together. "I'm glad," he said, leaning down to kiss Castiel's lips gently, then kissing his blushing cheeks. "You know," he said as he kissed him. "You may not have the most life experience," he kissed his jaw. "And you may blush every time I so much as look at you sideways," he kissed his throat. "But you do not fool me. You are plenty eager to shake off your chains and seek out some adventure." He stood up to look down into his face with a small smile. "I like it."

Dean's skin felt warm against his own. Trying to be more confident than he was, Castiel slid his hands down to grip Dean's hips as he tilted his head up to place soft kisses down the line of his neck. He wasn't really sure what else he could do, so he tried to remember things that Dean had done to him. Castiel let his the tips of his pinky and ring finger slip under the waistband of Dean's trousers as he continued to kiss at Dean's skin. "Then give me an adventure," Castiel murmured. Things weren't as scary with Dean. He could do things he had never imagined himself doing with anyone.

Dean took Castiel by the wrists and kissed his lips. "Bath," He said softly, motioning his head to the bath. "We have plenty of time for everything else." It wasn't that Dean didn't want Castiel, he'd made that perfectly clear already. But Dean knew Castiel wanted to please him, Dean just didn't want him to push himself past his comfort zone. He kissed him again before letting his hands fall from his body and turning to leave the bathroom, allowing Castiel to bathe in peace. He turned around at the last minute, leaning in the door. "Your room. Do you like it?" he asked, seemingly completely off topic. 

"I like it fine," Castiel said with a confused smile, "It's a gorgeous room. Why?" 

"Well, if you're not particularly attached to it... I was thinking you should move into mine." He said with a grin. "You've spent the past two nights in here. You obviously don't find it uncomfortable in here. Or with me... we will be married soon after all, and I do quite enjoy waking up with you in my arms." He patted the side of the doorframe. "Think about it," he said before ducking out of the bathroom and shutting the door so Cas could have privacy. 

Castiel smiled to himself, a happy feeling swelling in his chest, a blush on his cheeks. Dean wanted to share a room. Already. Castiel didn't think it was possible to wipe the smile off his face. Shaking his head a little, he stripped off his pants and stepped into the bath while the water was still hot. He had shaved his face the previous day and did not feel the need to do it again just yet. Perhaps tomorrow. He washed quickly, not wanting to keep Dean waiting. He stepped out and dried himself slightly before realizing he had no clothes in this room. Well, no clean clothes. He wrapped the towel loosely around his waist and opened he door. "Dean, I've nothing to wear in this room."

Dean was looking through his dresser. "You can wear these, I grew out of them and.... I...." his brain more or less shut off when he turned around, clothes in his hand. He tilted his head to the side as he unabashedly ran his eyes over Castiel's form. "Wow," he said softly to himself, before snapping his eyes back to his face. "I'm sorry.... what was I talking about?"

"Clothes for me to wear," Castiel said softly, a blush creeping down his neck. He felt vaguely self conscious, Dean's eyes raking over him. He didn't understand. After what they had done, Castiel had hoped to get over his feelings about nakedness, but evidently not.

"Yes!" Dean said, suddenly snapping to attention. "Right, yeah, here," he said, handing him a shirt and pants. "They might be a little big, but they're clean and can get you to your room modestly." he cleared his throat and shook his head. "I'm gonna... I gotta... I shouldn't...Sam… gonna go get Sam." He cleared his throat. He already had clean clothes on and had planned on bathing later that night anyway, so he turned away and went to leave. "You get changed before I ruin our plans by making you stay in my bed all day." Then he opened the door and stepped through it, closing it behind him and leaning against it, putting his face in his hands. He got commendations for bravery in war... he should be getting medal's for his strength of will. 

Castiel's face was a tomato, jaw dropped open as he stared at the door. Dean wanted to... all day... with him. Castiel swallowed hard as he thought about it. Dean had said it could only get better from last night. Biting his lip, Castiel closed his eyes and tried to calm down. He could feel himself getting excited and that wouldn't do. He pulled on Dean's clothes quickly. They were a little loose in the shoulders and the waist, but not exceedingly so. He dashed out of the room and began to make his way to his own room.

"Those aren't yours," a smug voice called out behind him. Castiel froze, dread on his face as he turned.

"Good morning, Balthazar," he said slowly.

"Good morning, little Cassie," Balthazar smirked as he sauntered over, looking Castiel up and down, "Though if the state of you is anything to go by, coupled with my drunken haze, I'm going to say you're not so little anymore. My Cassie's all grown up."

"Balthazar," Castiel groaned, cheeks burning. His friend let out a laugh, coming over to clap him on the shoulder.

"I'm happy for you," he said seriously, a smile on his face, "I'm happy you found someone that you trust so explicitly and I hope you continue to be so happy with him." 

"Thank you," Castiel smiled softly, "We're spending the day in town with Sam. We would love if you joined us."

"Of course," Balthazar said happily.

"I'm just going to change, then we can find Sam and Dean," he said quickly before stepping into his room. As soon as he was done, he and Balthazar went in search of the two brothers.

Dean had Sam on his shoulders outside, galloping him around like a horse when Castiel and Balthazar finally came outside. "There they are," Dean said with a smile, lifting Sam over his head to set him down. Sam ran to hug them both. "Good morning!" he said with a grin. 

Balthazar shared a meaningful glance. Dean raised his eyebrows briefly. Balthazar winked.

Dean leaned and kissed Castiel's cheek. "Shall we?" 

Castiel blushed when Dean kissed him in front of everyone but smiled nonetheless, sticking close to the other man. 

"What's first on the itinerary?" Balthazar asked with a smile, eyeing the two of them gleefully. He truly was happy for Castiel.

"I'm starving," Dean said, snaking his hand around Castiel's waist as they walked. 

"Me too," Sam said. "Are we going to Rose's?"

"Of course," Dean said with a laugh. "If we're going to take the boys to breakfast Rose will have my ass if we don't go there." 

"Rose? That little blonde thing you introduced me to last year?" Balthazar asked.

"The very one. Her bakery also does breakfast. Not going to find better in Winchester."

"Come on," Sam said, pulling Castiel by the hand so they ran a little ahead. "If we get there early her mother lets me lick batter off the spoon."

Dean smiled as they watched the two of them run off before realizing Balthazar was staring at him. "Alright," He sighed. "Get it over with."

"I'll need details." 

"There's nothing to really give you details about. I more or less introduced him to his own body." 

"Michael is an unbelievable prat," Balthazar scoffed. "And a hypocrite, I might add. You didn't go farther than that, then?"

"Of course not," Dean said, looking almost offended. "He's all but been locked up in a tower for his entire life. I'm not about to overwhelm him." 

Balthazar looked him for a long minute. "Wait... so you didn't... let him..."

"No." Dean said pointedly. 

"You are an idiot." Balthazar droned.

"Maybe so. But better safe than sorry." 

"Safe from what?"

"You know very well what," Dean said an eyebrow arched. 

"Your Majesty you may well be too good for your own... well... good."

Dean laughed as he ducked into the bakery smelling the fresh bread baking with a pleased hum. 

Castiel turned, a bright smile on his face as he watched Dean and Balthazar enter the bakery. He sat on a chair with Rose in his lap, babbling away about things that had happened since she last saw him. Sam was nowhere to be seen until he emerged from the back, batter on the corner of his mouth. 

Rose scrambled off Castiel's lap with a happy squeal when she saw Dean, running to hug him.

Dean smiled and scooped rose up in his arms, spinning her around a bit before holding her on his hip. He gave her mother a kiss on the cheek and she told them to sit at the counter and started cooking them all breakfast. Balthazar sat next to Castiel, who sat next to Dean who sat next to Sam. Sam and Rose played together as the food was cooked, occasionally getting up to chase each other around the bakery. Martha talked to Cas and Balthazar about Novak, and Dean listened as best he could before a child tried to climb him. 

They were served a gourmet meal that Martha tried not to make them not pay for, but Dean was hearing none of it saying that 'you should be charging double when the royal family comes in, not giving them things.' Martha laughed, and graciously accepted payment. Dean thanked her for the meal before Rose tried to yank his arm off and pull him outside. 

Castiel laughed as Dean was dragged away. He thanked Martha profusely before leaving with Balthazar, Sam having dashed out to follow Rose and Dean.

"You talked to him about it didn't you?" he asked once they stepped outside.

"Why ask when you know the answer?" Balthazar laughed, "And don't pretend you wouldn't have tried to stumble through it and tell me anyway."

"What... what did he tell you?" Castiel asked, trying to sound casual. 

"What answer are you looking for?" Balthazar asked, one brow raised.

"Nothing really," Castiel hedged.

"Nice try," Balthazar said as they began walking towards where he had spotted Rose, Sam, and Dean, "Now spit it out."

"I just... I know he didn't give me a chance to... reciprocate," Castiel said quietly, "But I just... I want to be... good."

"I suggest you talk to him about that," Balthazar said with a small smile. He snuck up behind Rose and swept her of her feet, swinging her in the air.

They spent the day in town. Dean picked up his suit for the wedding, a military cut suit of black and gold. The women in the store fawned over Castiel telling him how lucky he was and if he ever needed anything fitted that he shouldn't hesitate to come to them. Dean confirmed that they were the best in the business. They perused around town. Dean buying things for Balthazar because Balthazar knew he could get away with it, Dean being kind as he was. He tossed a silver piece to the florist and removed a white and blue orchid from a bouquet before coming up behind Castiel and wrapping his arms around, putting the stem of the flower in his breast pocket so the flower stood out against Castiel's blue shirt. He kissed Castiel's neck as he did it. 

Castiel tensed a moment before relaxing into Dean's arms. "It's gorgeous," he said quietly, looking down at the flower that sat in his pocket. He was still a bit surprised how easily one could show affection in Winchester, simply because it was so much more commonplace than it was in Novak. No one had even looked at them twice from what he'd noticed. In Novak, a kiss like that would be cause for more than one dirty look. He could see Balthazar pretending not to smirk at them a few stalls down, but he found that he didn't feel that self-conscious about it. Dean just made those feelings wash away.

"I find that I can't get enough of the way you smile," he said into his ear, kissing his throat one more time before moving away to follow the children down the way. 

Castiel bit his lip as he watched Dean walk away, skin feeling heated where Dean's lips had been.

"Stop looking so delectable," Balthazar said as he came up next to him, "Someone's going to try and gobble you up, and I highly doubt Dean would take it lightly." Castiel shoved him lightly, moving to peruse the stalls as the two of them slowly caught up with Dean. 

"I'll be back in a moment," Castiel said distractedly, something having caught his eye on the other side of the street. 

"Don't get lost!" Balthazar said. Castiel waved him off and dashed over. He always loved apothecary shops. They had this smell about them and always had the best book selections in the back. Very rare, very old. He gave a soft smile to the woman at the counter as he began looking at the shelves. He didn't notice someone come in behind him. 

"Looking for something?" someone suddenly said. Castiel turned and gave a polite smile.

"I'm alright thank you," he said softly, moving to continue down the aisle towards the books in the back. Steps thunked on the floor, following him towards the back. Castiel would be lying if he said he wasn't a little nervous, but he really had nothing to be nervous about. He stared at the titles in front of him, scanning for something he might be interested in. Suddenly he tensed as he felt a body pressed up against him as the man reached over his shoulder to get a book from a taller shelf. 

"Excuse me," the man said smoothly in Castiel's ear. Castiel said nothing, just moving away with another polite, albeit more nervous, smile. He began heading back towards the front where there would be more people around. That's when he felt a hand on his wrist.

"Please let go," Castiel said turning back to look at the man. As well as he could protect himself, this man was a lot bigger. It would probably take more strength than Castiel had if something were to go wrong. The man pulled him closer.

"Tell me your name," he demanded rather than asked.

"I'd prefer not to," Castiel said firmly, trying to pull his hand away. 

\--

Dean stood up from talking to the children and his expression dropped slightly when he couldn't find Castiel. "Balthazar," He said, coming up next to the man who had his face in some exotic linens. "Where's Cas?"

"Hmm? Oh, he's in the apothecary shop just there. Little bookworm loves places like that."

Dean laughed. "He is rather bookish, isn't he?" Dean said, looking at the shop fondly. 

"My goodness, Winchester. You are positively stricken." 

"You are seeing things, old friend."

"Whatever you say."

Dean wandered around outside of the shop for a minute, not wanting to be cumbersome, sticking close to Castiel's hip. But Dean was protective by nature, and liked to keep his eyes on the things that were important. He always did play it close to the vest. 

\--

"Tell me your name," the man insisted again, tightening his hold on Castiel's wrist and pulling him closer. Castiel narrowed his eyes. He turned around, pressing himself against the man's chest and bringing his arm to wrap around Castiel's sternum. Adjusting his stance, Castiel flung the man over his shoulder. All this happened in the course of seconds and a large thud rang out through the shop, shaking the entire shop. 

"I said, I'd prefer not," Castiel said again, ripping his hand from the man's grip.

Dean heard the thud from outside and turned to duck into the apothecary shop. "Cas?" he called as he made his way back. He poked his head inside the library and saw the man on the floor and Castiel standing over him. "Uh..." Dean tried to put the puzzle pieces together. "Everything... okay in here?" 

"Everything's fine," Castiel said, subtly moving his wrist behind his back as he stepped over the man on the floor, "Would you like to go?"

Dean looked between the two men, his eyes narrowing and his jaw setting almost imperceptibly. He stood aside and bowed, gesturing for Castiel to leave ahead of him, and as Castiel passed caught a glimpse of his reddened wrist. He looked down at the man, running his tongue over his teeth. Castiel didn't seemed particularly shaken, but if the man had hurt him he couldn't very well let the man get back on his feet. "I'll meet you outside," He said with an easy smile. "I need to talk to Gilda anyway," he gestured a hand at the shopkeeper. 

Castiel looked at Dean for a moment before nodding. He smiled at the shopkeeper and murmured a small apology before exiting the store to find Balthazar, Sam, and Rose. 

Just as the man started to get to his feet Dean leveled him with a punch to his head, shaking his hand out as he undoubtedly bruised his knuckles. "Gilda, my desert flower, call the guards and tell them the man unconscious in your library should be escorted out of the city."

"Y-yes my lord," She stammered. 

Dean strolled out of the shop as if nothing had happened. Returning to his part. "It's getting late," he said, knowing he had work to do still. "Shall we return?"

"Indeed," Castiel said with a smile, "I could go for a book in front of the fireplace around now."

"You're so boring," Balthazar chided, with a smile. 

"Be quiet," Castiel said with a shove.

"God forbid you actually learn something Balthazar," Dean said with a laugh, scooping Sam up onto his shoulders and leading them back to the Castle. Dean gave Castiel a kiss on the cheek as a means of excusing himself before heading back to the War Room. His father had probably already noticed his absence for the day. 

Castiel watched Dean leave with a bit of a sigh before going to the library with Sam to chose a book. They both had similar plans for the rest of the day. Balthazar went off to his room, most likely to take a nap. He was rarely awake before eleven, and Castiel had most likely caught him by chance. 

\--

Dean worked well into the night, completely losing track of both time and his eating schedule. Dinner passed him by as he continued his frantic pace trying to catch up. He put his glasses on and glared at the map spread out on the conference table. It was a map of Novak given to him by Uriel, the apparent General of Novak's military - if it could even be called that. Dean didn't even notice that the moon rose in the sky as he continued to work around the large table, trying to get a strategy down. 

Castiel didn't see Dean at dinner, or at all once he disappeared into the War Room. He let him go for a while, but when the moon was high in the sky, Castiel decided it was time for him to relieve Dean. He bid everyone goodnight as he made his way to the War Room, knocking gently before opening the door. "Dean, you need to go to sleep," he said as he walked inside.

Dean looked up at Castiel at the door, then out the window, then seemed to notice all the candles in the room were lit for the first time. "Lord, what time is it?" he asked wiping the back of his hand on his forehead before leaning back on the table and looking across it at Cas. "I must say, you are the prettiest alarm clock I've ever had." 

Castiel blushed and smiled as he looked down at his feet for a moment before glancing back up at Dean. "Yes well, that still means you have to go to sleep," he said, walking across the room to stand on the other side of the desk, "So... let's go back to... our room."

Dean chuckled a little, a boyish sound. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I can tell you are going to be terrible for my work ethic," He said as he let his glasses clatter onto the table and looked over the map one last time. "Very well," he said, tracing his hand along the desk as he made his way around. Then he held out his hand for Castiel's before linking their fingers together and walking him down toward their room. 

"Well if being bad for your work ethic means that you won't be collapsing any time soon, then I'm all for it," Castiel teased lightly, trying to act like he wasn't feeling a little nervous. No, nervous wasn't the right word. Maybe excited was better. He kind of hoped that Dean would maybe give him a chance to return the favor tonight. He didn't want to only take.

"You seem anxious," Dean said, opening the door so they could both enter. "Everything okay? It's not about that creep from the apothecary shop is it?" He shut the door behind them and started to unbutton his own shirt. As much as Dean would love getting physical, Castiel's... inexperience terrified him. He'd come to care about him, rather a lot more than he'd admit to himself, and hurting him either mentally or physically would just tear him apart, plus tear a rift in their relationship. 

"It's not about him," Castiel said slowly, eyeing Dean. He took a deep breath, trying to convince himself that he could do it despite knowing nothing. He walked up to Dean, taking his wrists in his hands to lower them. In a similar fashion to this morning, Castiel leaned up to trail kisses down Dean's throat as he finished unbuttoning the other's shirt.

Dean's jaw set and his throat tensed as he tried to reign in his hands, but they fell onto Castiel's hips anyway. He groaned a little and his hands wrung on Castiel's hips before a jolt of clarity went through his head. "Wait, wait, wait," he breathed quickly, taking Cas by the shoulders and pushing him back a little, his shirt hanging open. He exhaled a slow breath before leveling his eyes at Castiel. "Cas, did Balthazar put you up to this?" He asked, concern obvious in his face. "I don't want you to think you need to do anything. You and I will be fine with or without all of this." 

"Balthazar didn't tell me to do anything," Castiel said with a small shake of his head, "Well, no he actually suggest I talk to you." A small smile appeared on his face when he realized just how much his friend's advice had changed. Castiel just wanted to feel the way he felt last night, Dean's hands on him like they could never be anywhere else. "I just... I don't want to take without giving," Castiel said quietly, a blush appearing on his face, "I... I want things to be good for you too. I want to be good." His voice got quieter as he spoke, feeling embarrassed.

Dean's hands tightened on Castiel's shoulders and he blew out a breath. Keep it together, he demanded. He pulled Castiel into a gentle kiss as he started to unbutton his shirt. Once he had removed it, he shrugged out of his and moved Castiel back until he sat on his bed. "If you really want to, there are two ways we can go about it," he said, leaning down over Cas to look him in the face. "Either I need to teach you how to touch yourself in ways that feel good so that you know what to do or I'm just going to have to walk you through it, step by step." It wasn't that Dean wasn't eager to have Castiel touch him, but without knowing anything about it he was more likely to cause pain rather than pleasure with wild uncontrolled movements. He kissed Castiel's lips again before looking into his face again. "What are you going to be more comfortable with?"

Castiel thought about it for a moment. He wanted Dean to get a chance to feel like he did, rather than only worrying about himself. "Walk me through it," he decided quietly with a nod.

Dean nodded and crawled up the bed, bringing Castiel with him as he laid on his back. He urged Castiel on top of him running his hands appreciatively down Castiel's sides and bare torso. He swallowed down a breath and exhaled it slowly before looking back up into Castiel's face. "You go as slow as you need to," he said, leaning up to kiss Castiel's neck. "And don't push yourself. Once you're ready I'll walk you through, okay?" 

"Okay," Castiel said nervously. He wasn't going to pretend he wasn't worried. What if he wasn't satisfying like some of Dean's previous experiences? He looked down at Dean, unsure of where to start. Finally, he settled on a kiss, leaning down to press a gentle kiss against his lips. Slowly, he deepened the kiss, increasing the heat, reminiscent of the kiss they shared last night. Castiel let his hands run down Dean's torso, feeling the muscles moving under his fingers. He tried to focus on what felt right. His hands ran back up, tangling them in Dean's hair as he broke the kiss, moving to kiss down his throat. He knew he was stalling just a bit, but he was nervous.

Dean groaned into the kisses, making sure to be encouraging, but not pushing by any means. He ran greedy hands down Castiel's back as they kissed, moving one to the back of his head and trying to memorize the contours of Castiel's mouth with his tongue. When Castiel moved to his neck, he groaned rather openly, his head rolling back a little bit as the muscles in his chest and shoulders tensed. 

A shot of lightening went down Castiel's spine when he heard Dean let out a noise of satisfaction. He placed a final kiss against Dean's collarbone before dragging his lips feather-light up to Dean's ear. "I... I don't know what to do," he admitted softly, "I need you to tell me."

Dean chuckled good-naturedly, nuzzling at Castiel's jaw. "Well... taking off the rest of my clothes would be a good start," he teased, kissing him down his throat.

Castiel nodded, feeling his heart tighten a bit. He was more nervous than he thought. He just couldn't shake the feeling that there was so much riding on this. Castiel shifted down so he was straddling Dean's thighs and he could undo Dean's pants, hands just barely shaking. He was just afraid of doing something wrong. 

Dean sat up and took Castiel's face in his hands, kissing him. "Relax," he said softly. "It's just me and I'm still going to want you in the morning, no matter what." He pulled Castiel back down with him, kissing him as they laid back on the bed. Dean unfastened his own pants and slid out of them while they kissed. Then he took Castiel's hand and started to trace it down his chest. "Stop me when you're uncomfortable," he said, in a sort of breathlessness as their hands got closer and closer. 

Castiel bit his lip and nodded. Despite having nothing really being done to him, Castiel could feel his own body heating up as their hands got lower and lower. 

Dean lifted Castiel's hand and gently traced his fingers along the hardened shaft between his legs, tensing noticeably under the touch. Even though it was his movements, just the fact that it was Castiel's fingers, his will, it was enough. Dean gently ran Castiel's hand down his length, then back up, a few time to make him familiar before manipulating his hand to wrap around it. "Close your hand," he instructed gently. "Firm but not... not tight..." He waited until there was proper pleasure before starting to move Castiel's hand, and first Castiel's hand was just ghosting Dean's movements, almost like Dean was just getting himself off was Castiel's hand, but it was more than that, he was showing him what ways to move and when to squeeze and where the most sensitive parts were. He waited until he felt Castiel moving on his own before slowly removing his own hand. "That... that's it," he praised, letting his head fall back and his eyes shutter close. "Unh, don't stop," he said, his back arching under the sensation. "It… feels good, don't stop." 

Castiel watched Dean's body react under his touch. It was exhilarating knowing that it was him doing this to Dean. That he was giving Dean this pleasure. That Dean was asking him to keep going. Castiel continued in his ministrations, trying to keep aware of how tightly he was gripping and where he was touching. He watched Dean's face, his muscles tensing, his length in Castiel's hands. He leaned forward, kissing the center of Dean's sternum. "I-Is there anything else you want me to do?" he asked.

Dean groaned and arched into his touch, his breath coming in hot, heavy bursts. "Faster," he breathed. He opened his eyes and looked down into Castiel's face, his eyes wide and burning, so eager to please. "Oh, god," He groaned. "Yeah, just like that, Oh... oh shit." His hand fisted into Castiel's hair unconsciously and his jaw clenched. "Cas," he moaned. "Yeah, don't stop"

Castiel felt fire spread through his body. He never knew that he could feel any pleasure from giving someone else pleasure, but evidently he could. Hearing Dean's voice say his name, feeling his hand holding onto him tightly, it was mind blowing. It had to admit, it was pretty hard to keep focus sometimes. He could feel himself reacting to Dean's words. His hand slipped, going a bit high, his thumb swiping over the head as he regained his hold.

"Oh, god, Cas I... Keep going." The sensation was hitting him in waves, that started in the rise of his chest and it rolled down his body until his hips bucked, his body moving like a languid snake as it rolled through him. He could feel it taking over him. Dean hadn't come from someone’s hand in years, since he was a boy, but there was something so hot about it, so intimate. It was new and exciting for Cas and that made it those things for Dean. "Oh god, I'm gonna come, Cas don't stop." He looked down into Castiel's face and the moment they made eye contact Dean succumbed, his chest heaving, arching up high as he let out a long, low moan, Castiel's name on his lips as he finally tossed his head back, spilling out over Castiel's hand as his hips jerked up into his hand. 

Watching someone orgasm from Castiel's influence was a rush like nothing else. He felt as though he want to crawl inside Dean's skin just to be as close as possible to him. He let go when it was over, cum on his hand. He'd heard from Balthazar about using your mouth in place of a hand, and he was suddenly curious as to how that would taste. He knew that if it was something Dean enjoyed, he would do it without question, but a taste that didn't make him grimace would help as well. He looked up at Dean who looked so amazingly relaxed and sated. Castiel wondered if that was what he had looked like. "Was... was it alright?" he asked quietly, just wanting to make sure.

Dean couldn't help but laugh a little bit. He hated to call a grown man adorable, but if it ever applied to one it was Castiel. He sat up, panting and grinning like a fool. "Your hand there is covered in proof that it was good," Dean praised, leaning forward to kiss Castiel's nose before leaning off the bed for the same towel and gently starting to wipe his release off Castiel's hand. "I haven't uh..." he moved to clean the remnants from his own skin. "It's been a long time since someone's hand has been able to do that to me." He leaned forward to kiss him again. "So maybe you're just that good." 

He was lying, he knew very well it was his ridiculous emotional attachment to Cas that had done it, but he didn't need to tell Cas that. He would rather give him confidence rather than make him blush. Dean's eyes caught on Castiel straining against his own pants and looked back up at him with just his eyes. "You don't look very comfortable," he teased. "Would you like me to help you with that?" 

The look in Dean's eyes made the air rush straight out of Castiel's lungs as he looked at him. He let out a shaky breath before nodding. "If you'd like," he murmured, staring into Dean's eyes.

"Oh, I'd like," He said with a grin, pushing forward with his mass so that Cas was forced to lay on his back. He kissed down Castiel's throat, his shoulders knitting together as he held himself up and moved the kisses down Castiel's collarbone. "I'm going to take you a step further tonight," he said with dark confidence, kissing down the length of his chest, tonguing over his nipple briefly before slowly descending further. He kissed teasingly along the length of his pant line before slowly tugging them down, kissing each inch of newly exposed skin as he worked his way down.

"Okay," Castiel moaned, eyes squeezed shut. He bit his lip, his hips pushing up slightly without his permission. It suddenly occurred to him that he may be learning just what Balthazar had been talking about that day. However, this was not the time to be thinking about his best friend. No, this was the time to focus on the burning trail of kisses the led closer and closer to his groin. The hands that were holding him like they were made to do nothing else. The man that was content with his inexperience. The man that was slowly inching his pants down his thighs. Part of Castiel wanted to feel self-conscious, knowing that Dean was really looking at him, but most of him couldn't care less just so long as Dean didn't stop.

Dean chuckled, a deep, dark sound like a villain from a child's story. It was low and confident and victorious. He exhaled a breath along the length of him before running his tongue from his base up to the head and back down, exhaling hot breaths along him as he did, keeping his eyes on his face. He knew Castiel wasn't about to stop him, he was too far-gone, but Dean kept vigilant just in case. It didn't hurt that he loved to watch Castiel's face reacting. Eventually he took him into his mouth, easing his lips around the head and all the way down to the base, fitting Castiel snuggly down his throat before slowly, too slowly, easing back up. He kept his green eyes up, watching Castiel's chest, his face, his hands as he started to move in a rhythm. 

Castiel let out a string of moans and whimpers, jaw dropped open as he panted. He'd obviously never felt anything like this before. He'd had no idea that this was even a common practice. Part of him had actually thought that Balthazar had been messing with him. He was very glad that he hadn't been. Without even realizing, Castiel's hand had drifted down to clutch the short hair on Dean's head to ground him. "Dean," he whimpered, "Dean, I'm... I feel strange again." He would have to work on that. Balthazar had told him stories of not orgasming for what seemed like forever, and Castiel could barely last above five minutes.

Dean was in no mood to torture him. They were learning, they were exploring each other. Dean certainly wasn't about to fault him for not lasting, instead he reveled in it. He moaned into the sensitive skin, trying not to grin when he'd gripped into his hair. He ground his hands into Castiel's hips, pressing his tongue firmly against the vein on his underside, working up and down faster and faster until he felt that familiar tension building to and apex. He waited until he felt Castiel beginning to let go before he pushed down to the base of him, holding him down the length of his throat and drinking him down without hesitation. 

Castiel arched off the bed with an embarrassingly high-pitched moan, his grip tightening almost painfully in Dean's hair. "Dean," he whined, throwing his head back as he rode out his orgasm. He pulled Dean up as soon as he could, crushing their lips together in a heated kiss.

Dean smiled into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Castiel's body and feeling him shutter and jerk against his release. He kissed his jaw and cheek, unable to stop the soft chuckle that escaped him. He waited until Castiel went limb in his arms before peeling back the covers and pulling Castiel in with him. He laid on his side and pulled Castiel into his chest, kissing his lips and cheek. "Ecstasy looks so goddamn good on you I can't even believe it." He exhaled and kissed his throat. "You are one amazing thing." 

Castiel blushed, scooting just a bit closer to Dean. "You're one to talk," he murmured, bringing a hand up to rest against Dean's chest, feeling the warm skin beneath his fingers. Castiel didn't know that he could ever feel so drained, relaxed, and completely happy and satisfied all at the same time. 

Dean grinned and pulled Castiel in as close as they could go, resting his chin on the top of his head and enveloping him in his arms, kissing the top of his head a few times before settling against him. "Sleep," he said softly, running a soothing hand up and down his back. Dean drifted rather quickly, utterly content in their embrace. He spared a moment to be worried about how attached he was getting to the man in his arms but... it seemed a futile thing to be worried about. They were going to be married, after all. If there was a person to get attached to, it was Castiel. "Goodnight, Cas," He murmured sleepily as he exhaled a final, exhausted breath before succumbing to slumber. 

Castiel lay awake for a while, thinking. He remembered how not so long ago, he had been dreading the thought of a political marriage. He had resigned himself to a loveless, unfaithful marriage. Now, lying here, Castiel could barely believe how much had changed. He had never experienced the things he had with Dean. Not only the newly founded sexual experience, but the happiness he felt when they were simply in the same room together. The way he couldn't stop smiling when they spent time together. It was a little scary, how it was hard to imagine life without Dean now. He just hoped that it wouldn't come back to hurt him later. Sighing quietly, Castiel pushed it to the back of his mind and let Dean's even breathing lull him to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Dean jolted awake to the telltale bellow of 'DEAN' echoing down the hall. He looked out the window and saw that, for the first time since he was thirteen, he'd slept past dawn and well into morning. 

"Oh shit," He said, scrambling out of the bed so that he could jump into clothes. He was late for a meeting. Dean was never late. He put some scented oil on his hands and lathered it into his hair and on his neck to make it look like he hadn't just slept too late. "Like I said, you're terrible for my productivity," He said with a laugh, leaning over Castiel in his bed and kissing him a few times before turning and bolting out of the door toward the War Room. The King was going to have his ass for this, but in the end it was well worth it. 

Castiel was still just trying to keep his eyes open as Dean rushed out the door. He had barely even registered Dean's frenzied kisses. He laid there for a while, reflecting on what had happened last night. He felt like he had taken a large step for himself. Castiel had always just assumed that Michael would keep him locked away forever. He'd never dreamed he could be so happy. Finally, Castiel dragged himself out of bed and had a bath filled for him. He shaved and washed and tried not to wish he and Dean could spend today as they did yesterday. He dressed leisurely, having brought in some of his clothes the other day before getting Dean to go to bed. He wandered into the hall, wondering what he would do while Dean was in his meeting when he heard loud voices echoing at the end of the corridor.

Dean had missed the meeting completely. Which was unacceptable, even to Dean. 

"I'm sorry, father. I was ill, I overslept."

"If I had known the Novak boy was going to distract you so, I would never have chosen him for you."

"How is he a distraction? I overslept it had nothing to do with Castiel. I have done everything you asked, and do not pretend you picked him because you wanted him for me. You picked him to pull you out of the fire of your own negligence."

"Do not disrespect me, boy. I see you out there with him, lollygagging with the soldiers, escorting him into town, do you think me a fool?"

"If it walks like a duck," Dean said through his teeth. 

"Damn it, you wretch, listen to me. It is high time you start treating your bride like a bride and not your school mate."

"What difference does it make how I treat him? You already sanctioned the union, our relationship is our business."

"I cannot have you appear weak in public!" John demanded, slamming a fist on the desk. "You do not pull out his chair, you allow him to shout at your king, you treat him like... like..."

"Like a man? He is a man. I will not treat him otherwise!"

"You'll be fucking him like a woman so what difference does it—"

"Shut up," Dean shouted, probably the first time the words had ever come out of his mouth at his father. "Shut up before I make you."

"What did you say to me?"

"You heard me. You're talking about the man I'm marrying so you would do well to speak about him with respect. As far as I am concerned Castiel is a Winchester do not disrespect him so."

"Oh, you and he are lovebirds now, is that it? Is that why you have this new found courage to stand up to me?"

"What we are is none of your business," Dean shouted. "The only reason I do not stand up to you is for fear of you taking your aggression out on Sam, but I will not and stand by while you insult someone I so wholly respect. If you cannot respect him in my presence then keep your gin-soaked tongue behind your teeth. I am not afraid of you."

"You speak this way to your own blood? To your family?"

"Castiel has been more family to Sam and I these past days than you have been in years! You may be blood, but Castiel is my family, and I will not allow you to speak of him so."

"This is just what they want!" John screamed. "To make you into putty, putty they can shape into whatever they please! He must be a fantastic lay if he's got you in the palm of his hand this way."

Dean's heartbeat was out of control. His jaw clenching so hard it felt like it was going to snap off. "It would be wise for you to stop talking," he said through his teeth.

"Oh... look at that animal inside you, finally rearing it's ugly head. Does your new beloved know about it? About this rage inside you? You can't keep it bottled up forever, you know. You are no better than me, Dean."

Silence.

"Perhaps I will take the newest Winchester to my bed if he is indeed so good that he makes you—"

"I SAID SHUT UP," Dean roared, putting his hands under the desk and throwing it. John picked up his bottle of Whiskey and hit Dean in the jaw with it, then threw a wild punch with his other hand. Dean caught it and threw his father over his shoulder and down into the map table, making it splinter and crumble under his weight before he punched him, effectively knocking his father, his king, unconscious. He stood there, panting, staring down at what he'd done, his mind racing. 

Castiel leaned against the wall around the corner where neither of the men could see him if they came out of the room. He had no idea what to do. It sounded as though something large had been broken, but Castiel feared that his interference would only make things worse. He hated being the cause of such dissent between Dean and his father. 

Dean burst out of the room in a rage, breath pumping. What had he done? He'd just hit his father. Dean had never retaliated. He'd always just taken it for fear that John would stop and start taking his anger out on Sam, who couldn't fight back. Lord, now what was he going to do? Maybe he would take Sam away. Send him to school. Something. Anything. He was so angry, with his father and himself. God damn it. What was he going to do now? He ran his hands down his face and exhaled a hard breath. 

"Majesty?" one of the serving girls said. "You look unwell, sir."

"I'm... I'm fine, Daisy. My father is uh... go get some water and bandages he's wounded."

That was all he said before he stormed down the stairs and out the front doors. 

Castiel took a few aborted steps towards where Dean had run off before stopping. He probably wanted some time to think to himself. Maybe seeing the reason for the fight so soon after it had happened wouldn't be good. Castiel had never felt such an immeasurable amount of guilt. He turned the corner and saw Daisy returning with the water and bandages. 

"I'll take those," he said quietly, "Get someone who can help carry the king to his chambers." Despite what the king had said about him, Castiel truly wanted to cultivate a good opinion, even if he didn't know about it. He went into the room, eyes wide when he saw exactly what had happened. If it was possible, his guilt increased. He tended to the king's wounds. He was just finishing the bandages when two male servants came into the room. "Please carry the king to his chambers," he requested quietly, "And then if you would not mind returning to clean this." They gave him a nod before moving to support the unconscious king between them and escort him away. 

Castiel lingered for a moment, unsure of what to do. He didn't know how much time he should allow Dean to have. It was about midday by this point. Castiel decided that if he did not return by dinner, he would go find him. He would probably be in town or perhaps training his aggression away. He avoided the others for the day, not wanting to burden them with his worries. 

\--

Dean did what he always did when his circumstances became too much to weigh him down. He rode. He burst Baby out of the stables and linked his fingers into her main, forsaking a saddle and riding off into the meadow. He rode and rode, sprinting her down to the cliff by the lake where he stayed until well into the night. It wasn't until the sun had completely set that he managed to think that Castiel might be wondering where he was, his father might be awake, raging at Sam or even Castiel himself. God. That was just what he needed. 

He exhaled and turned Baby back toward the castle, staying at a much more leisurely pace as he made his way back. 

\--

Castiel made sure that Balthazar had stayed with Sam all day. According to his friend at dinner, they didn't hear from John all day, though they did catch glimpses from him going about his day, a bottle in his hand. That, at least, put Castiel's heart at ease but the fact that Dean had not returned caused him worry. He excused himself from dinner and went to get his cloak. He had to go make sure Dean was alright. Something horrible could have happened. He pulled his hood up and made his way out of the castle, not wanting anyone to see him and inquire as to what was happening. He felt horrible for what he was about to do, but he didn't want to get Sam and Balthazar involved. He walked down to the bakery and knocked on the door. Rose answered with a bright smile. Castiel smiled back.

"I need your help, Miss Rose," he said quietly, "I can't find Dean and I need someone to help me look."

"Of course I'll help!" she said seriously, "But my bedtime is in an hour."

"I'll be sure to get you back in time," Castiel said with a nod. Hand in hand, they began walking around town looking for him. Dean was nowhere to be seen. 

"Oh!" Rose said, as if something had suddenly occurred to her, "He might be in the magic place!"

"The magic place?" Castiel asked.

"The cliff that gives birth to the sun every morning," Rose said excitedly. Castiel remembered the place where he and Dean had shared their first kiss. 

"We'll go there and then I'll return you home," Castiel promised. Walking quickly, the pair of them took a shortcut through the forest. There were a few times where Castiel felt the hair raise on the back of his neck, as though someone were watching them, but he brushed it off. He had to find Dean. The two of them emerged into the clearing where the cliff lay only to see no one. That's when the first arrow flew, just barely missing as it lodged into the ground. Castiel turned around with wide eyes. "Rose, you need to run. Run away now as fast as you can and get home," he instructed, pushing her towards the safety of the trees. She looked at him with worried eyes before she was off, faster than Castiel had ever seen a child move. He didn't notice her take the arrow with her. Now Castiel had to worry about himself. He took off in the opposite direction, arrows whistling past him until one finally hit its mark. It lodged itself in the meat of his thigh. He let out a scream as he fell. Men in dark armor surrounded him. One man pushed his way through the circle, looking down at Castiel.

"Hello angel," he simpered. It was the last thing Castiel remembered before everything went dark.

\--

Dean heard the scream and something in the pit of his stomach sank like a stone. He needled Baby in the side and she bolted into the trees, off the trail and toward the sound. 

"Majesty!" a child's voice came. 

"Rose?" Dean said, hoping off his horse to scoop her into his arms. She was crying. "Rose what happened." 

"Castiel he's... he's been," she handed him the arrow. "They took him, Majesty." 

Dean felt like the world fell out from beneath his feet. He hoisted Rose up onto the horse and delivered her home, gripping the arrow in a fist. Then he bolted back to the Castle. 

"Crowley has Castiel," Dean bellowed into the hall, not caring who heard him. "Rally my guards, Benny, we march tonight."

"Aye, sir," he said before bolting to the guards quarters. 

"What... what happened?" Balthazar asked. "Where's Cassie."

"Crowley," Dean growled, handing the now broken arrow to Balthazar. "He is the leading manufacturer of bullets and arrows outside of Winchester. He has an encampment to the South. He's taken Castiel. I don't know how. I don't know why." He stormed toward his room. 

"Dean," he said, taking Dean's arm and forcing him to turn around, the closest to concern Balthazar had ever really expressed. 

"I'll find him, Balthazar. I'll find him and bring him home. I swear it." He clapped a hand on Balthazar's shoulder. "Watch over Sammy."

\--

Castiel woke up upside down on the back of a horse. His hands were tied behind his back and his ankles were bound. His back ached, bent unnaturally over the back of the horse as it galloped. Cloth was tied into his mouth to prevent him from talking. He had no idea how long he'd been out, but moments later the horse trotted to a stop. With no gentle touches or fanfare, Castiel was yanked off the horse and dropped onto the ground. Another sound of pain ripped itself from his throat.

"Don't cry, baby face," the same man from earlier came up to him. Castiel leveled him with a glare. "Such hostility," he said with mock offense, "Tickles me right where my bathing suit goes." They stared at each other for a moment before he commanded that Castiel be taken away. He tried to remember where he had heard that voice before. It suddenly occurred to him. Crowley. The weapons maker. Oh, this was so predictable, Castiel hates himself for not having seen it. If Novak and Winchester stopped fighting, Crowley and his kingdom would fall into poverty. He was chained tightly, to the point of being painful, and he tried not to panic. Everything would be alright. He had to have faith. 

\--

Dean didn't take the entire guard, just Joanna, Benny, and a select few others. His best. He wouldn't stand for anything else. He gave them a grave briefing before he mounted his horse. 

"Bobby," He said, wearing his armor and prepared for war. "If I do not return by morning, send word to Novak. We cannot afford to be misleading. If they find out by anyone but us it will mean war."

"You got it, son," Bobby said with a nod, patting the back of Baby before watching them ride. They rode through the night, silently, slowly. With any luck, Crowley didn't know that Dean knew who had them, so their only advantage was surprise. 

\--

"Now," Crowley said slowly as he walked into where Castiel was being held, "Being the smart little princess that you are, I'm sure you know why you're here." Castiel could say nothing. "However, I'd like to know what you know," he went on. Castiel furrowed his brows in mild confusion. The gag was removed from his mouth. 

"What are you talking about?" Castiel spat, his voice rough from disuse.

"A hot little thing like you? I was a little surprised you could walk by the time we got to you," Crowley said with a shrug, "So of course, our lovely playboy prince must have told you something of his plans or defenses." Castiel's skin flushed angrily.

"I don't know anything," Castiel said with a roll of his eyes, "I've been in Winchester for just over a week."

"And you're trying to tell me that you haven't used your wiles on him? What kind of Novak are you?" Crowley said with a raise of his brows.

"Not the manipulative kind," Castiel shot back.

"Oh, we've got a sassy one here," Crowley joked with the guards at the door. Seconds later, his expression flatten into something scarily unrevealing as he pulled one of the arrows out of the guards' quiver and buried it into Castiel's shoulder without even blinking. "Scream and I go back for your young lady friend." Castiel pressed his lips together, tears leaking from his eyes. "Good boy," he praised, giving Castiel a pat on the cheek, "Now, either way, when he informs Novak you've been taken, there will be war, but I don't see why we can't reap a few more benefits. So tell me what you know."

"I don't know anything," Castiel ground out through clenched teeth. A boot met with Castiel's stomach and for a moment he couldn't breathe.

\--

Dean and his infiltration team abandoned the horses and walked the rest of the way removing their metal armor and deciding stealth was their best option. Dean motioned his hands, telling everyone to spread out. Dean sent Jo off by herself, being the expert she was. Meanwhile they waited, figuring the best entrance strategy. Dean knew they had to stay quiet. If anyone raised an alarm Castiel could be dead before they found him. If they made the effort to kidnap him instead of just killing him outright, they wanted him for something. Once Jo found where Castiel was being held, they would move. 

It was only about ten minutes before Jo came back. She pointed to a far building with barred windows. "He's over there. They've got him chained up. But I can get in." 

"Good. Benny and I will pull them away, empty out the building. You get in and get him out. Riley, you bring the horses." Riley nodded and was off. "Jo, take Riley, Aidan and Zoe and escort him back, just in case you are followed. Benny and I will hold them off as long as we can." 

"Majesty, no. You must come back with us."

"Do not fight me on this, Jo. He is all that matters. Get him home alive." She didn't look convinced, but she agreed, taking all but Benny with her. 

"We'll get him back, Dean," Benny said softly.

"You're damn right we will." 

\--

Castiel was breathing heavily, head hanging. Blood ran down his face and he now had a matching arrow in his other shoulder. 

"I'm... telling... you..." he panted, tears in his eyes, "I... don't... know... anything."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Crowley said, looking at him for a moment. Castiel didn't grace him with an answer. "Well this is rather disappointing," he mused, "I suppose now I'll just have to kill you."

Suddenly there was a bit of shouting happening outside. A guard burst into the room.

"We're under attack," he reported. Crowley scowled before storming out of the room.

"What the hell kind of place are you people running?" he screamed before grabbing his weapon of choice and heading outside.

"You two, don't take your eyes off him," Crowley spat at the remaining guards as he barreled up into the fray. A few minutes of shouting and the clang of weapons later, a shadow appeared behind one of the guards, and he clutched his throat as blood spilled out, falling to his knees as he breathed his last. The second guard tried to get the jump on her, but she incapacitated him rather quickly and took his keys from his belt. She removed her mask to show Castiel who she was. "It's alright," she said, fumbling with the keys to free him. "Can you walk?"

"Not really, but I will anyway," Castiel ground out. He massaged his wrists slightly. That was going to bruise if he couldn't take care of it in time. His thigh screamed in protest as he put pressure on his leg, his first real wound. He ignored it. This was not the time for weakness. He followed Jo as quickly as he could manage, all the while keeping an eye peeled for Dean. He had to be here somewhere, right? Castiel just wanted to see him at least once.

Dean and Benny were in the center of the compound, Dean with two swords, Benny with his axe and shield. They moved around each other like water, keeping their backs to each other like a well-practiced dance. There were too many, they would fail eventually, but they just had to last long enough for JO to get Castiel out of the compound. 

"Come on," She said softly, pulling Castiel by his wrists, trying to be mindful of his many wounds but also trying not to be seen. "The horses are just through here. We'll get you home." 

"Where's Dean?" Castiel asked, pulling away a bit, "I'm not leaving without him." He could hear people running around, searching for them, the ring of metal. Adrenaline pumped through his body, dulling his pain, making him hyper aware of everything that was going on. "Where's Dean," he asked again, "I need to see Dean."

"He's fighting for our lives," Jo sneered, pulling Castiel along. "He is ensuring we get out alive. Now get on the horse. If you are not safe, he will not leave, and he's going to die for you if he has to." She leveled her eyes at him, narrowing them with anger that wasn't meant for Castiel, but was giving it to him anyway. "Don't make him. Get. On. The. Horse."

Castiel let himself get dragged along, all the while whipping his head around as he searched. Blood leaked steadily from his wounds as he jogged along with Jo towards where he could just barely hear the horses stomping in the underbrush. Jo helped him onto the first one they came to before climbing up behind him. She figured it would be easier to keep him on the horse if she was holding onto him instead of the other way around. She spurred the horse into a gallop and they began racing through the trees.

Jo with the rest of the team formed up and started riding back toward the Castle. Riley but his forefinger and thumb in his mouth, letting forth a sharp whistle that made Baby spur into action. They rode the few hours necessary and instead of going all they way to the castle, they stopped at the apothecary/infirmary in town like Dean had told her to. "Come on," she said, helping Castiel down. "We'll get you fixed up." 

\--

Dean and Benny had both received a few hits each. Dean had taken an arrow in the side, and a large gash over his collarbone. They were exhausted from the onslaught, but knew this wasn't the time to try and take the whole compound down, so the turned and ran toward they heard Baby whinny. They blocked swords and axes and arrows as they ran. Dean leapt onto Baby, and pulled Benny up behind him. Benny sat backwards, ripping the bow off Baby's side and pouring out cover fire so they could get away. 

Castiel stumbled into the apothecary. His exhaustion was catching up to him, the blood loss making his vision go spotty. He was awake for all of five minutes before a poultice was wafted over his nose and he was unconscious as his wounds were treated.

"Where is he?" Dean panted, bleeding all over the apothecary’s floor as he burst in. 

"He's fine," Jo said, jumping from where she was sitting to stop him charging in, putting her hands on his chest. "Dean, calm down, he's okay."

"Let me see him," Dean said, through his teeth, breathing heavily. 

"He's sleeping. Don't wake him," Gilda sneered from the back door, then motioned a hand for Dean to follow her back. 

Dean, holding his wounded side, slowly made his way into the back room. 

She had taken off his shirt and ripped his pant leg off to wrap bandages around both of his shoulders and his wounded thigh. Blood staining the bandages. 

"He's fine," Gilda said before Dean could panic. "He won't be walking for a few days. But he'll be alright."

Dean nodded, keeping his eyes on Castiel's face. He dropped onto his knees beside Castiel's bed. 

"Majesty," Gilda said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Let me see to your wounds."

"Just... give me a minute," Dean said, not taking his eyes off Castiel. God, this was all his fault. He shouldn't have left the castle, shouldn't have stormed out. Shouldn't have made Castiel go looking for him. He took Castiel's limp hand in his, moving his fingers along his palm as he shook his head. 

Being unconscious was nothing like one would expect. It was less like sleeping and more like being stuck, fighting against the darkness that surrounded him. He was vaguely able to register being moved and muffled voices speaking around him, but he couldn't open his eyes. He had no idea how long he was out, but he knew that the sun was shining as he slowly came to. A groan slipped from his lips as he blinked his eyes open.

Dean's head snapped up, his left arm in a sling tight against his chest. He was sitting at his desk working when he heard Castiel groan and sprang to his feet. "Hey," he said, falling onto his knees at his bedside. He reached his good hand out to take his hand. "Cas?"

"Dean?" Castiel asked, voice hoarse. He turned to look at him, wincing when he pulled his shoulder the wrong way. "Dean, are you alright?" he went on, ignoring his own discomfort, "What happened to your arm? You're not hurt are you?"

"I'm okay," he said. "I'm fine, Cas. You took more damage than I did." He moved his hand to run it over the top of Castiel's hair. "You've been out for a few days. Your family is here. The wedding has been postponed." He just spewed information because he didn't know what else to do. "How do you feel? Should I get a doctor? Can you move okay?"

"My family is here?" was the first thing that Castiel latched onto. He sat up quickly and almost had to lay back down from the dizziness that came over him. He tried to calm himself down a bit. Michael was here. This would change everything. He looked at Dean, taking in his features. "God, I'm so sorry," he blurted out before taking Dean's face in both of his hands and dragging him in for a kiss.

Dean winced a little, his jaw was still tender from getting hit by his father's whiskey bottle, but he wrapped his good arm around Castiel's back eagerly and kissed him. "Why are you sorry?" He asked finally. "I'm sorry. If I hadn't stormed off you never would have gone looking for me. I shouldn't have left you alone. I'm sorry." 

"No, no you had every right to leave after what your father said to you," Castiel said without thinking, not realizing that Dean didn't actually know he'd overheard. He leaned forward, kissing him gently again. That was when the door opened. 

"Whoa, little brother! Awake five minutes and already getting busy?" Gabriel said with a wide smile as he stood in the doorway.

"Gabriel!" Castiel exclaimed, a smile on his face. 

"Should I even ask how you're feeling?" he teased as he came into the room. 

"Shut up, Gabriel," Castiel huffed, unable to wipe away his smile.

Dean smiled, regardless that he was disappointed he'd hardly gotten to be alone with him. He was starting to hate Castiel's family and their penchant for bursting into his room without knocking. He ignored the fact that he had heard the conversation between Dean and his father, he would have to tell them about the other conversation they'd had when they were alone. If they ever got to be that again. Dean kissed the top of Castiel's head. "I'll give you guys the room. And I'll go let everyone know you're awake." He groaned as he got back to his feet and clapped Gabriel on the shoulder as he passed before shutting them inside. 

Gabriel clicked his tongue in his mouth as he watched Dean leave. 

"I don't know what you did, but you've made quite the sissy out of the General Winchester... supposed fiercest warrior in the world." Gabriel laughed as he strolled to Castiel's side. "Hasn't slept in three days and hasn't left your side once." 

"He hasn't?" Castiel asked softly, a fond smile coming onto his face. Gabriel eyes his little brother, cocking his head to the side.

"You're both pretty far gone, by the looks of it," he said with a chuckle.

"Is that such a bad thing?" Castiel asked quietly.

"No, I'm happy for you," Gabriel said seriously. Balthazar burst in moments later, Sam on his tail. 

"Cassie!" he exclaimed, running over to the bed and enveloping Castiel in a gentle hug. 

"I'm alright, Balthazar," he said with a small laugh.

"If you ever worry me like that again, I will kill you myself," Balthazar said with a smile.

Dean smiled as Sam and Balthazar stormed off to go see Castiel, wishing rather earnestly he'd had more time. But, there was a lot to do still. And he wasn't wounded enough to get out of his duties. He had been watching over Castiel near constantly for three days and three nights. He was relieved that he was awake, and that was all that mattered. He didn't need to express it any more than he already had, he guessed. 

But it wasn't fair was it? It was he that had saved him. He that had changed the sheets and administered the medicine like the apothecary had told him. Stayed up for 72 hours straight worrying like a den mother. Shouldn't he get to... no, he was being selfish. Castiel would probably rather be with his family than him anyway.

"I suppose I should thank you," Michael said from behind him. 

Dean shrugged. "No need. I didn't do it for you."

"No doubt. You did it to avoid war. I can respect that."

"No, Majesty, I did it because I care about him. I hadn't even thought about the implications of war until I was already marching on Crowley's compound. I killed a lot of people to get him home safe for no other reason than I wanted him back."

Michael arched an eyebrow. "I see," he said, but Dean doubted he actually did. He was probably wondering what Dean's ulterior motive was, and in that moment Dean pitied Michael. What must it be like to trust no one but yourself? 

"You should go see him," Dean said finally. "I'm sure he'd like to know you were concerned for his well being."

"Perhaps I will. Thank you, Winchester."

"Majesty," Dean said with a bow, turning to head off. Dean sighed and headed down to the outer courtyard where he told Miss Rose that Castiel was okay now. She cried little tears of joy and Dean smiled and hugged her until she stopped. He promised that he and Castiel would come back into town as soon as Castiel could walk again. He checked back by his room, seeing that it was still filled with people, then decided to head down to the library. The fires would be lit by now and he could sit comfortably in front of it.

\--

Castiel spoke with everyone and caught up on what he had missed in the past three days. He was even surprised to see Michael come in to check on him. It was a pleasant day. However, in the back of his mind, he wondered where Dean was. His eyes strayed to the door every now and then, waiting to see if it would open and he would be disappointed. 

"I think I should get up," Castiel suddenly said.

"No, you should rest," Balthazar said with a shake of his head.

"No, if I stay in this bed, I'll go crazy," Castiel said with a shake of his bed, "Besides, I can't let my muscles waste away."

"We'll go with you," Gabriel said.

"No, I'll be fine," Castiel said with a smile, getting up slowly. His body ached a bit, but if he went slowly he figured he would be fine. His band of concerned friends and relatives watched tensely as Castiel made his way to the door. "I'm not a piece of glass," Castiel said with a roll of his eyes, "I'll see you all at dinner." He went down the corridor frustratingly slowly until he came upon a servant who told him Dean was in the library. Castiel hobbled his way down there until he finally caught sight of Dean by the fireplace. "Hiding from someone?" he teased lightly.

Dean, who had fallen asleep in the chair, jolted awake at the sound of Castiel's voice. "Cas? Lord, what are you doing, you shouldn't be walking?" He sprang to his feet to meet Castiel. He was a grown man, and Dean wasn't one to judge someone about pushing themselves when they were wounded, so he tried not to mollycoddle him. If Cas figured he could walk, Dean wasn't about to disrespect him. "How are you feeling? Are you bored? Did you come in here for a book?" He cleared his throat and sighed. "I'm really... just... very glad to see you up and about." He said with a smile, shaking his head a little and folding his hands over each other.

"I came looking for you," Castiel said quietly. He was starting to feel his thigh twinge and he moved towards the lounger so that he and Dean could sit together. "You never came back after telling everyone I was awake," he went on, "I wanted to see you."

"There were a lot of people in there," Dean said, helping Castiel to the chair. "I didn't want you to get overwhelmed. We were all so worried. I figured your family had dibs on your time once you woke up." He cleared his throat, shifting his shoulder uncomfortably in his sling. "Trust me, I would have rather stayed at your side." 

"You were there for three days," Castiel said with a small smile, "You had injuries of your own. You should be resting just as much as I should." He let the silence fall over them for a minute before he looked up at Dean seriously. "Thank you," he whispered, "For everything you did to bring me home." He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the skin just below Dean's ear.

Dean dropped to his knees between Castiel's legs, wrapping his good arm around his shoulders gently and pulling him into his chest. "God, what would I have done...?” he said softly, nuzzling into the side of his face. "I uh..." He pulled back from the hug a little. "I'm okay. My injuries weren't bad. The wound in my side healed quickly once Michael got here, and my shoulder was dislocated pretty bad but I'm okay." He exhaled and looked up into Castiel's face from his knees. "I'm just glad you're okay. Don't... don't go wandering around the forest without me anymore. I don't care what you hear my father say I can't..." He cleared his throat. "I can't go through that again." 

Castiel pulled Dean up gently and kissed him deeply. He tangled his hands in his hair, pulling him as close as he could with injuring either of them. "I'm sorry I worried you," he said breathlessly, "I'm sorry you got hurt because of me. I'm sorry for what your father said. I'm sorry the wedding got postponed. I'm sorry." He rested his forehead against Dean's squeezing his eyes shut as tears threatened to fall. He felt incredibly guilty. If not for him, Dean never would have gotten in that argument with his father. If not for him, Dean never would have gotten hurt. If not for him, Dean never would have worried. He pulled Dean into another kiss, this one even more heated and desperate than the first, trying to pour everything else that he couldn't say into the kiss.

Dean met the kisses eagerly, on his knees before Cas, holding him as best he could. "Don't apologize," He said. "Everything is okay, we're okay it's all..." he kissed him again. "It's all okay. The fight with my father was one of the best things that could have happened to us. I should be thanking you, Cas. God, you don't even know." He kissed him again, heart beating, fit to burst. "Don't be sorry." He swallowed down a breath.

"Why, what happened?" Castiel asked as he pulled away, panting. He could feel it, something that Dean had to tell him or wasn't telling him. He didn't know what could have possibly gone right in all this, but if Dean had found a bright side then Castiel would wholly support whatever it was. 

Dean swallowed, eyes red and stinging. "My father he uh..." He cleared his throat and looked down and the floor as he tried to find the right words. "You were still out. I had just gotten you back and I was..." He laughed a little, self-deprecating as he scratched the back of his neck. "I was a mess. The doctor told me you just needed to rest but I... I couldn't sleep... or eat I was just..." He coughed. "Anyway, My father came in and saw what a mess I was and he was..." He looked up into Castiel's face. "He was sober for the first time in probably fifteen years, that I'd seen. He apologized. Begged... Begged for my forgiveness. I always thought that if I ever stood up to him, if I ever stopped taking his abuse he would just find someone who wouldn't fight back and take it out on Sam and god, that would kill me. But when he was in that room, and he was saying those things about you I just... I don't know, I lost it." He exhaled a long breath. "He said it's what made him realize how far gone he was. That if he had finally drove me to the point of snapping like that... something was very wrong." He snaked his hand up Castiel's back and fisted into the back of his first. "Cas, you changed everything. You changed me." A lone tear escaped the corner of his eye and it trailed down his cheek. "God, what would I have done if you were lost? If I hadn't gotten there in time?" 

Castiel smiled, tears leaking out of his own eyes as he wiped Dean's away. "But you did," he whispered, "And that's all that matters." He pressed a kiss to Dean's forehead. "I'm so, so happy that things with your father are getting better," he said with a smile, "I'm so happy that you're happy." He made Dean come up and sit next to him. "Everything's going to be okay now," he said, staring into Dean's eyes. He didn't realize how scared he'd actually been. Scared of never seeing Dean again. Scared of losing him whether it had been by his death or by Dean's. Now he was sitting here in front of Castiel and they had their entire lives to do everything that they wanted to do. He stared for a moment before surging forward desperately and crashing their lips together, almost as if he was afraid Dean would disappear from right in front of him. 

Without a second thought Dean shrugged out of his sling so he could wrap both of his arms around Castiel, pulling them together. It wasn't kisses of passion, they were kisses of desperation. They were frantic and full of hope. He moved to hold Castiel's face in his hands, kissing him all over his face, kissing the tears from his cheeks, kissing the bruise on his temple. "You are not allowed to leave castle grounds without me," He said finally, panting against Castiel's mouth. "I can see now why Michael kept you locked up your whole life. God, I have half a mind to do it myself."

Castiel let out a choked laugh, barely able to push it past the lump in his throat. "I promised everyone we would meet them for dinner," he said quietly, actually not wanting to leave at all. He would much rather just stay here with Dean. He'd missed three days without even knowing it. He'd spent three dark days not even knowing if Dean was actually alive or not. He ran his hands through Dean's hair with a smile. 

"Hang them all," Dean said, diving back to kiss Castiel again. "I didn't stay up for seventy two hours praying for you to wake up just to share you with the likes of them." He kissed him and kissed him until it started to hurt his bruised face. He sighed, looking down into Castiel's face, pulling himself together. He cleared his throat. "We'll have dinner with everyone," he sighed. "But you will retire directly afterward and I will escort you and you will spend the remainder of the evening letting me kiss you just to remind myself that you're alive."

"Alright," Castiel said a bit dazedly, heat beginning to flood into his system. This was not the time. They were both injured and were about to go to dinner with their friends and family. He stood and took Dean's hand tightly in his own. They walked to the dining room together, at a bit of a slow pace, but they got there in good enough time. 

"Yes, I see why you wanted to go for a walk," Balthazar laughed, getting a joking elbow from Gabriel.

"Don't strain yourself," Michael said without looking at him, but Castiel was surprised by the show of concern. 

Dean supported Castiel's weight as they walked, and settled Cas into a seat before taking the seat beside him. Dinner was mostly silent, filled with forced polite conversation. What was there to say? They had been through an ordeal, they were both wounded, there was nothing to say that hadn't already been said. But they were home, and safe, and they union would go as planned, albeit a little late. Dean's fatigue started to claim him as his stomach filled up. He hadn't eaten in three days and he hadn't realized how hungry he was. But once he started to fill up, the exhaustion hit him. Without having to worry for Castiel, and without the pain of hunger, there was really nothing keeping him going. He had been leaning his chin in his hand at the table listening to the conversation when he drifted into light sleep right there at the table. 

Balthazar was the first to notice as he had been sitting across from Dean and he laughed softly. "Poor baby," he said softly, tilting his head to the side. "It's been quite the ordeal for him."

"For him? What about Cassie?" Gabriel protested. 

"Of course, I don't mean to discount Cassie's ordeal," Balthazar defended. "But by all respects he spent his three days unconscious, healing, none the wiser. His majesty spent the entire time awake. Wondering. Worrying if he was ever going to wake up." He cleared his throat, realizing he was sounding rather more sentimental than he liked, though he turned his attention to Castiel. "But I dare say you have something good here, Cassie. Forced marriage or no."

"I think I do too," Castiel said, not even realizing that he was staring at Dean with a small smile on his face. He didn't notice the entire table staring at him. Balthazar cleared his throat. 

"Perhaps you should retire, Cassie, and take sleeping beauty with you," he joked. Michael tensed slightly, most likely still feeling that them spending any time together alone before the wedding was inappropriate. Castiel ignored it and gave the table a smile. 

"You're right," Castiel said with a smile, "Good night everyone." He nudged Dean a little more awake to get him to stand and assumed the position that they had walked in doing, supporting Dean's weight this time as they walked out of the dining room.

Dean mumbled the most polite excuse he could as he was lead away. "Wait..." He mumbled as they walked. "Aren't you the one with a hurt leg? Why are you leading me?" He laughed a little and switched their positions so he could take Castiel's weight off his leg. "Sorry if I dozed at dinner. I didn't mean to be rude."

Castiel didn't want to admit that taking the pressure off his leg was like heaven. He would have gladly continued carrying Dean if he'd needed it. "You've been awake for three days," he said with a small laugh, "I'm sure no one blames you. I certainly don't."

"Michael will not wanting us sleeping in the same room," he added as they reached the bedroom, shrugging out of his sling. "Do you want me to take you to the other room?"

"If I recall correctly, we have plans," Castiel said with a teasing smile, "And if Michael has a problem with that, he can take it up with my multiple wounds that I'm not afraid to use to make him feel irrationally guilty."

"You've been spending too much time with Balthazar," Dean said, winching as he removed his shirt, revealing his bruised shoulder and large scarred over gash on his side. He rolled out his shoulders before going to Cas. "Let me help you undress," he said, not even a hint of playfulness, wanting only to make Castiel comfortable. 

Castiel's gaze flickered over Dean, guilt filling his eyes as he took in his injuries. He nodded to Dean. He honestly doubted he would be able to say to no to anything the other man requested ever again after this. Despite how things had turned out with John, it was still Castiel's fault that Dean had gotten hurt.

"Don't look so stricken," he said, removing Castiel's shirt as gently as he could. "I've gotten much worse for less worthy causes. This was no one's fault but Crowley's, and I am going to make sure he can never hurt anyone again. Had I not been so concerned with your safety I might have stayed behind to kill my way to him." he exhaled a frustrated breath, kissing over the scars on Castiel's shoulders, moving his rough hands around his waist and up his back. "I would have walked through fire to get you back."

No one had ever expressed such an intense desire to keep him safe and out of harm's way before. Castiel had no idea what to say. He stood there, speechless, Dean's hands on his bare back as he stared at the other man. Words ping-ponged around inside his head, but he was too afraid to voice them, not wanting to go a step too far. Instead he wrapped his arms around Dean's neck, ignoring the twinge it caused in his shoulders. "Dean... I," Castiel had no idea what to say and rather than finishing his sentence, he brought their lips together in a heated kiss.

Dean kissed him and lifted him gently in his arms, ignoring how it pained him to do it. Then took Castiel into the bathroom. "You've been asleep for three days," He said, setting him down beside the bathtub. "You're going to let me wash you. Do not protest." He had prepared for this, already had the bubble bath of Sam's and he started to fill the tub up with hot water. He kissed Castiel's throat and wounded shoulder and collarbone as he unclasped his pants and slid them down his thighs, being mindful of his hurt leg, but not ceasing in his kissing. He knew Castiel was still self conscious about Dean looking at him naked so he continued to kiss his throat as he helped him out of the rest of his clothes and lifted him back into his arms to set him gently in the water. The top layer of bubbles covered him up and Dean knelt behind the tub so he could reach inside. "Relax," he instructed, easing Castiel to lay back. "Let me take care of you this time."

Castiel wasn't exactly settled with the idea of Dean taking care of him when he himself was exhausted and wounded and he was sure that it showed on his face. However, if it was really what Dean wanted, he would let him take care of him. Castiel would just make sure to doubly pay him back when the time came.

Dean lathered his hands in soap and washed along Castiel’s throat, chest and back. He soaped his hair, rubbed at his scalp and gently lathered through his hair, smiling as he did it. "I haven't washed someone's hair since Sammy was little," he said with a small laugh. He gently washed the soap out of his hair, being careful not to get it in his eyes, and kissing his forehead and temple once it was cleared of soap. He nuzzled against Castiel's face, turning it with a hand on his chin so he can kiss him. "Do you think you'll be able to sleep?" He asked, blinking tiredly. "You've been through an ordeal, if you are uncomfortable we can stay up." 

"You are doing no such thing," Castiel said with a small shake of his head, "You have been awake for three days and tonight you will sleep. I'll be fine." He had no idea whether or not this was true, but he was hoping that it would be for Dean's sake. His three days rest had not consisted of dreams, and he just prayed that any dreams he had tonight would be pleasant so as not to wake Dean with his kicking and screaming. "We're going to bed," he said firmly as he pulled Dean down for a chaste kiss, "And you're going to sleep."

"As you wish," He said, kissing him again and getting a towel in one hand and using the other to help Castiel out of the tub before wrapping him in it, drying his chest and back and wiping his face of water, then ruffling it through his hair. He laughed. "That may be my favorite thing," He said, motioning up at his wayward hair with his hand. "Your hair goes in a zillion directions. It's fantastic." He kissed him again and led him to bed, pulling back the covers. He went around to the other side so he could step out of his pants and climb in on the other side, already fighting to stay awake. 

Castiel flatten his hair in spite of Dean's words, a small pink blush coming onto his cheeks. He climbed into bed with his back to Dean and pulled the other's arms around him so that he was being held against Dean's chest. He didn't want him to be able to see if he was awake or not. Dean deserved a long rest after doing everything he had for Castiel. 

Dean nuzzled into the back of Castiel's neck gladly, exhaling a hot breath against his skin and smelling the scent of his skin and the shampoo. "I thought I'd lost you," he murmured tiredly into his throat as he drifted. "I was so afraid..." was the last thing he managed to say before his exhaustion finally overtook him. 

Castiel could feel Dean's even breaths against his neck and sighed. He really must have been exhausted. He snuggled back further into his arms and let his eyes drift shut.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hello, angel wings," a familiar voice simpered. Castiel opened his eyes to find that he was back in the building, chained to the wall. Crowley's eyes burned red and there were strange markings all around the room. "Someone's been wanting to see you." Suddenly, a bright light closed in on the center of the room where Dean was on his knees, battered and bloody. Castiel tried to call his name, but he found that he couldn't speak. "He came to rescue you," Crowley said with a smile, "Too bad, isn't it?" Without hesitation, Crowley shot Dean in the head, his body slumping over. The room drained away into darkness until all that was left was Dean and Castiel. He screamed.

"Hey, hey, Cas, wake up," Dean said, sitting up and shaking Castiel by his shoulders. God, the way he screamed his name was going to give him nightmares. He was so afraid, so helpless. Had he called out for Dean before he got there? Had he been wishing for him to show up? "Cas, baby, it's okay," He said, running a soothing hand down his face. "It's okay, I've got you."

Castiel's eyes jolted open, tears pouring from them as he latched onto Dean. He buried his face in the crook of his neck, holding on tightly despite how it hurt him. He had to know that Dean was here, alive and well. Castiel pulled back, running shaking hands over Dean's face before resting his forehead against the other man's and closing his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, voice trembling, "I-I was back in that room and Crowley he had you there and he'd hurt you so badly and he just wouldn't stop talking and then Dean, Dean he killed you right in front of me and it as all my fault, you never would've been there if it wasn't for me, I killed you." He took a deep breath, having not breathed at all while saying that as quickly as he could.

"Sh-sh-shhhh, Cas, it's okay," He said, wrapping him in his arms. "Cas, I've got you. I'm here. It's okay. I'm okay." He pulled back a little to kiss his face, reaffirming his presence, letting him know he was okay. "Deep breaths, Cas. I'm right here." He kissed him again. "I'm here."

Slowly, Castiel's heart ceased its racing and came down to more normal levels. He gave Dean a weak smile before giving his cheek a gentle kiss. "I don't know what I would've done if you had died," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

"Shhhh," he soothed, shaking his head. "It's alright, Cas, I'm okay." He nuzzled the side of his face and kissed him. He could feel Castiel's heart racing through their chests together. He kissed him, dipping his tongue into his mouth, knowing what it was like to just need the contact, to need to feel that they were alive. He kissed him passionately, pulling him into his chest as hard as he could, enveloping Cas in his body. "Think no more of Crowley," he breathed onto his mouth. "Think only of us." 

The words emerged into his head again, banging around inside his skull but once more Castiel refrained. He simply gave Dean a nod before diving back into the kiss. He let a hand drift down to rest on Dean's chest, feeling his heartbeat against warm skin. 

Dean's own heartbeat had panicked when Castiel had called out, jarring him from sleep violently. He could still feel his adrenaline buzzing through him. He kissed him, tasting him, reaffirming that they were both okay. "This is real," he breathed, planting another kiss on his lips. "You are here, with me, where you belong. Everything is okay." 

"Everything is okay," Castiel repeated. The words echoed in his head like a mantra. He pulled Dean to lay down with him, this time facing the other man as he burrowed into his chest. He tangled their legs together and wrapped and arm around Dean's torso. "Everything is okay," he said again, trying to convince himself.

Dean held Castiel against his chest, settling on the bed with Castiel tucked against his shoulder and under his chin. He could still feel his anxiety, his pulse racing. He held him close with one arm, and used the other to run a comforting hand up and down his arm and back. For loss of anymore soothing words, Dean hummed. He hummed the song his mother used to sing to him when he'd had nightmares, and the song he still sang for Sam when he had nightmares. He hummed the soothing melody softly, nuzzling the top of Castiel's head with his face as he did. 

Castiel focused on the sound of Dean's beating heart, the calming melody that rumbled in his chest. He closed his eyes and thought only of Dean, allowing images of the other man to lull him back to sleep.

Dean waited until he could hear the steady breathing of Castiel asleep before he stopped humming and allowed himself to drift back into dreamless sleep. This time it was Dean that had nightmares. He'd seen the shape Castiel had been in, and his imagination filled in how he'd become that way. He jolted awake, but quietly, only his body starting as reality came back to him. The morning sun was starting to raise over the mountains and he turned to see Castiel still soundly asleep against him. He snuggled him closer and exhaled into the back of his neck before he drifted asleep again, this time sleeping until well into morning. 

\--

It was bright light that woke Castiel. He groaned, not wanting to wake up just yet. He turned in Dean's arms to hide from the light, hoping that he didn't wake the other up.

Dean groaned sleepily, blinking against the bright light out the window, but he didn't wake, simply moved into Castiel's embrace further and continuing to sleep a few more hours. When he finally did fully open his eyes, he sat up a little to look out the window. Lord, they must have slept through breakfast. He turned back to the man in his arms and tucked his face against his neck in an attempt to kiss him awake. "We cannot sleep the entire day away," he said softly.

"I don't see why not," Castiel grumbled, "We've been through "an ordeal" after all." He tilted his head slightly, allowing Dean easier access to his neck as he pulled their bodies a bit closer together.

"So we have," He said with a laugh. "But your family will only wait so long before they simply barge in and come to find us."

"If Balthazar is any kind of friend he won't let that happen," Castiel insisted, still stubbornly refusing to open his eyes and admit that he really was awake.

Dean laughed and rolled them over so Dean was covering Castiel's body with his own. "You'd best wake up," he said, kissing down his chest. "Before I make you announce you're awake to the whole castle by screaming for me." 

Part of Castiel didn't see the down side to this at all, especially not as his heart started racing and his throat went a bit dry at the thought. However, the more rational part knew that Michael would kill him himself, "ordeal" or not. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes and looked down at Dean. "Most of me doesn't want you to stop," he said honestly, sort of wanting to know how Dean would react.

Dean laughed a little, kissing Castiel's navel before lifting himself up on his hands in push up position over Castiel. "You should know by now that I don't settle for most. I am an all or nothing kind of lover." He leaned down to kiss his lips once before rolling off him and out of bed. 

"Goddamn rationality," he muttered, flopping back down on the bed. He supposed it was for the best. He was still a bit achy and tired and would prefer not to be either of those things with Dean. He pulled himself out of bed, limping less than the day before, but still forced to hobble around as he pulled on some clothes.

Dean laughed and came up behind him, kissing his shoulders and neck. "Are you hungry?"

"Yes, very," Castiel said, turning around to face Dean, "My body is very angry with me for having been asleep for three days, after all." As if on cue, Castiel's stomach gave a loud grumble.

Dean grinned and kissed him. "What do you think the odds are of us being able to sneak out of the Castle without attracting another Novak or Winchester?"

"Very low," Castiel said with a laugh before kissing Dean's jaw softly, "But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try."

"I could probably carry you out of the window if I needed to," He said, slipping on a shirt and kissing the side of the throat. He opened the door just enough that he could see if anyone was in the hall. "We look pretty clear. Let's-"

"Clear from what?" Balthazar asked, leaning on the other side of the doorframe. 

Dean groaned and let his head fall onto the door. 

"Clear from interlopers like you," Castiel said bluntly. 

"Cassie!" Balthazar exclaimed sarcastically, a mocking hand over his heart, "I've never been so wounded."

"We just wanted to spend some time together," Castiel pleaded with his friend.

"Did you not get enough time last night?" Balthazar asked, brows raised.

"We went to sleep," Castiel huffed at him, cheeks going pink at the implication he knew his friend was making.

Dean leaned out the door and whispered something to Balthazar and they had a hushed conversation like one of those married couples that fight in alleyways where you can't hear what they're saying but they obviously are having a conversation about something heated. Then Dean shut the door and waited, looking over at Castiel. "Are you ready?" He asked, looking to see if Castiel was completely dressed. 

Castiel had pulled on a shirt while watching the two converse out of the corner of his eye, trying to tell who was winning the argument. Evidently, it had been Dean. "Ready," he answered, tucking his shirt into his pants.

"Wait for it...." He said, tilting his head like he was listening for something. 

In the distance there was an absolutely blood curdling scream that tore from none other than Balthazar's throat. 

"That's our cue," Dean said, reaching for Castiel's hand and leaning out the door, waiting till people ran by before sneaking out and down the stairs, back through the kitchen and out the servants’ entrance. He put his thumb and forefinger in his mouth, whistled, and in no time Baby was barreling toward them with no saddle. Dean helped Castiel up before climbing up behind him and taking off into town. 

Castiel owed Balthazar so huge, and if he knew his friend, he was going to collect big time. He leaned into Dean gently, enjoying the feeling of the breeze through his hair. It felt relaxing and free. He cast a wary glance towards the forest, body tensing only slightly. One of the things he hated most was that now the place where he and Dean had shared their first kiss would be tainted with a memory of pain. If Castiel hated Crowley for nothing else, it would be that. 

Dean felt Castiel tense, but he couldn't possibly know why, so he just lifted his hand to hold Castiel's around him as he made for town. He brought them to a small bistro on the outskirts of town, saying hello to Rufus and his wife as they entered and picked out a table. "I have no idea what I'm going to have to do to pay Balthazar back for that."

"A lot," Castiel said with a chuckle, "I will as well, no doubt. But knowing Balthazar it will be mostly painless." He knew that everyone was just worried about him, but he was fine and he didn't want to be treated otherwise. He didn't want to dwell on what had happened and how so much of it could have gone wrong. He just wanted to focus on what was right in front of him.

Dean laughed and they ate happily together, for the moment completely letting the memories fade as they ate and chatted with one another. They walked around town just enough for Castiel to see Rose and hug her and let her see he was alright before Dean began to worry for Castiel's leg and helped him back up on the horse and rode them back toward the lake. He stopped as soon as they could see the forest and Baby idled, stamping her feet. "Do you want to go to the lake?" He asked, kissing his throat from behind. "This is where he took you, right?" 

Castiel swallowed hard, staring at the forest ahead of them. He gave an almost imperceptible nod, body stiff. This was the last place he'd gone looking for Dean. The last place he thought he would see of Winchester. Part of him wanted to go and get over his fear before it truly set in and became harder to overcome. If he let it fester, he would no doubt be unable to ever return to the lake. He couldn't let Crowley take that from him. He couldn't. "Let's go to the lake," he said, voice quiet but determined.

Dean pulled Castiel into his chest with one hand, and wrapped the reigns around his other hand a few times for needling Baby in the side and urging her forward as the trotted through the trees. "I've got you," He said when he felt Castiel tense. "This place has no power over you."

Castiel tried to relax, but he couldn't stop hearing the arrows whizzing past his head, the men crashing through the underbrush as they chased him. He tried to focus on Baby moving beneath him, Dean hold him close, his body warm and firm. This was different. No one was coming. Castiel was safe. Or so he tried to convince himself.

Dean slowed Baby to a stop while they were still in the middle of the trees. Right in the thick where they couldn't see out of either side. Dean couldn't really think of another way to nullify the bad memories other than to make more powerful good memories. So he released Baby's reins and snaked one hand up Castiel's shirt, the other pulling to lean him back so Dean could kiss him, fully, on the mouth. He tongued at Castiel's mouth and dragged his teeth over his lips, tugging playfully and making the heat rise in his body. All he could do was make Castiel react to him, to make him forget his anxieties and his fear and just concentrate on the burning in his skin and the tension coiling in his abdomen. Dean wasn't good at much, but he was good at this.

Castiel melted into the kiss, gladly accepting the escape to think about anything and everything else. A moan escaped his throat, swallowed by Dean's lips as he felt that now familiar heat building up in his skin. Dean's hand was a warm weight on his chest, almost like an anchor to keep him from flying off completely. More likely, it was really there to keep him from sliding off the back of the horse as his focus turned from staying balanced to climbing inside Dean. He raised a hand to bury it in Dean's hair to hold him close, another moan tumbling past his lips.

Dean slid his hand up Castiel's chest and out the top of his shirt, holding him where his chin and neck met, manipulating his head so he could kiss him deeper. His other hand reached around to run his hand up Castiel's thighs, raking his fingers on his skin through his pants as he kissed him, swallowing the small sounds he made, beckoning more with his tongue as he kissed him. 

Castiel whimpered into Dean's mouth, trying to find a way to simultaneously lean into Dean's chest and arch into his touch. His brows furrowed in concentration and desperation as he kissed Dean back as well as he could, wanting to do everything to drive the memories away. 

Dean slid off of Baby, dragging Castiel with him to the forest floor, barely interrupting their kisses at all. He pulled them down to their knees, then fell back into the dirt, bringing Castiel on top of him as he continued to kiss him, pulling his tunic up over his head and shoulders before diving back into kissing him. 

Castiel scrambled with the fabric until they were both shirtless. He covered Dean's body with his own, kissing him frantically as he ran his hands down Dean's bare torso. He was there, right there, warm and alive with Castiel. Everything was alright. There was nothing that could hurt them.

Dean wasn't losing control. In fact, it was the most control he'd had since he and Castiel became sexual. This wasn't about him, this was about Cas, and he was afraid and Dean just wanted to make him forget, to make him think on nothing else but him. He clung Castiel to his chest, kissing him passionately, sucking on his tongue and lips, very much intending to seduce him, to impair his better judgment, to make him lose hold of himself. He was using every trick he knew, because Dean knew he would lose control, not now, not when it was so important. He ground Castiel's hips down into him, ignoring how the rocks and dirt beneath him dug into his back. He moaned up into Castiel's mouth, lapping the taste of his tongue, bucking his hips up against Castiel's groin. 

Castiel broke the kiss with a cry of pleasure, squeezing his eyes shut as he rested his forehead against Dean's shoulder, panting. He hadn't really thought of that as an option, but now that it was, Castiel was going for it. He let go completely, trusting that Dean would take care of him. He had to. Castiel mimicked the motion that Dean had guided him through moments earlier, rolling his hips down into Dean's, giving another cry at the feeling it gave him. He murmured Dean's name against his skin like a chant, unable to think of anything else to say.

Dean groaned, grinding his teeth as he tried to concentrate, tried not to lose his mind. The way Castiel chanted his name, the way it echoed through the forest, it cracked his resolve, but he held on. He moved his hands onto Castiel's pants, unbuckling them and sliding them down just enough before doing the same with his own pants. Now when Castiel moved, they were skin on skin, the intimate friction sending shocks down his spine as his eyes closed tight, groaning against the sensation. 

Castiel moaned low in his throat, grabbing onto any part of Dean that he could. He didn't think he could make his body stop moving even if he wanted to. He just kept moving with Dean, intense friction sent fire through his body and electricity in his stomach. He held on for as long as he could manage to keep his orgasm at bay. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was proud of himself for lasting about five minutes longer than he had the two previous times. When he came it was with a shout of Dean's name, nails digging into the flesh of his shoulders.

Dean's hand flew to the back of Castiel's neck as they rocked together, pulling them together as close as he could when he felt that tell tale tension building up in Castiel. He grunted when Castiel called out his name, slowed the roll of their hips as Castiel spilled out between them. When he felt Castiel's strength start to give out he wrapped his arms around his shoulders and rolled them, cradling Castiel in his arms to protect him from the rocks and foliage beneath him. He kissed his throat and exhaled, closing his eyes and forcing the frenzy in his head away. He reached for his discarded shirt and lazily cleaned them, resolving that a jump in the lake would do a better job of it before casting the soiled shirt aside and kissing Castiel a few more times. He looked down into his sated face with a soft smile, kissing his cheek and chin. "Are you still afraid?"

"Afraid of what?" Castiel said distractedly, his brain functioning a lot slower than it normally did. When it suddenly occurred to him what he was supposed to be afraid of, he shook his head. "No," he said lazily, "No, I think they're pretty afraid of you." He laid there for another moment in Dean's arms before he realized that the other still hadn't come. He bit his lip before steeling his resolve and taking matters into his own hands. He reached down between them, only slightly hesitant as he took hold of Dean's length and tried to remember exactly what he did last time. The angle was a little different now, and a bit awkward, but Castiel could make it work. He tried not to hold too tightly as he stroked Dean, hiding his face in the crook of the other's neck, embarrassed by his forwardness.

Dean tensed as he leaned over Cas. "Cas wait, you don't have to- unh..." His forehead dropped down onto Castiel's shoulder, his hands tensing, wringing into Castiel's skin. He was slick from where Castiel had come and he couldn't stop his hips from rolling into his hands, letting a long groan escape him as he did. He hadn't intended on having an orgasm of his own, he had only been trying to make Castiel forget, to bombard those terrible memories with better ones, memories of them. But Dean was overly sensitive to his touch and he arched into his hands. He lifted himself up in push-up position over Castiel, head hanging between his shoulders as he moved. "Don't - don't stop... oh god," he groaned, leaning down to kiss him as he started to move his own hips fast, feeling the frenzy take hold of him again. When he finally came, it was to the sound of Castiel's name pouring from his throat, his head tossed back in pleasure as he moaned.

Castiel could still barely believe that he was able to bring another person into such a place of pleasure. He watched Dean's face as he came, reveling in how amazing he looked in that moment. He leaned up and placed a quick, chaste kiss against Dean's lips. "Thank you," he murmured, kissing Dean again.

Dean's arms shivered as they tried to hold up his weight, and he buckled onto his elbows. Had Castiel just thanked him? For what? Having an orgasm? His brain was less than aware. He nuzzled into the side of Castiel's face, kissing him on his cheek and jaw as his strength left him. "I uh..." He panted, straining to keep his weight from crushing Cas. "Why... why are you thanking me?" 

Castiel could see Dean straining, so he used one of his elbows to knock Dean's arm out from under him, causing him to fall onto Castiel. He wasn't very heavy, and Castiel was okay with it. He was warm. "For bringing me out here and helping me forget," he murmured, lips brushing against Dean's throat, "For coming to get me in the first place. For being everything that I never thought I would have."

"Oh," Dean said in a breathy exhale. "Then you're welcome." He laughed just a little, rolling them both so Dean was on his back again. He didn't want the dirt digging into Castiel's back, but he wasn't finished kissing him. He snaked his hands up Castiel's back and pulled him into a series of chaste, sincere kisses, exhaling a breath onto Castiel's skin. "I will always come for you, Castiel," he said, kissing under his jaw line. "I don't care where I have to go or what I have to do I will always bring you home." 

Castiel nodded, smiling softly at Dean. The words, those three words rose up in his mind again but he squashed them down. He didn't want to ruin the moment by saying something they may both not be ready for. Instead he squirmed slightly, starting to feel sticky and itchy. "What to you say we got for a swim?" he asked quietly, almost feeling like if he spoke too loudly something would break.

"Brilliant idea," Dean said in a breath, leaning up to kiss him one more time before getting them both to their feet. He cleaned himself off with his shirt again and just held onto it as he righted his pants and helped Castiel back up onto the horse before trotting the rest of the way to the cliff.

"Are you going to tackle me again this time?" Castiel teased as he slid off of Baby's back and walked over to the edge of the cliff. He resisted the urge to turn and check the tree line for suspicious activity. There was nothing there. It was just him and Dean. He was safe.

"Do you want me to tackle you?" He asked, coming up behind him and kissing his neck. He moved to the edge so he could curl his toes over the cliff, looking down into the water. 

"That kind of ruins the surprise of the tackle," Castiel said with a small laugh, looking down towards the water with Dean. It would probably be just as cold as the last time they were here. 

Dean laughed and turned to kiss Castiel's cheek, as he did using his momentum as he leaned forward to push off the balls of his feet and wrap his arms around Castiel's shoulders, pulling them both off the cliff and into the water. He surfaced and shook out his hair as he laughed, waiting for Castiel to come to the surface. "One of these days I'll let you jump in on your own. Maybe."

Castiel shook out his own hair and could practically feel it sticking out everywhere. "Your concern is touching, but I think I can handle a cliff dive," he teased, diving under the water to glide a little ways away.

Dean dipped back into the water with a small laugh before straightening, kicking the water underneath him as he watched Castiel. "How are you feeling?" he asked finally. "Does your leg still hurt?"

"Only a twinge every now and then," Castiel exaggerated. It was a bit more than a twinge, but Dean didn't have to worry about it. "It was the shallowest out of the three." He paused for a minute, zoning out as he remembered why the two in his shoulder had been so deep before snapping back into reality.

"Well Michael saw to your shoulders once he got here. Wouldn't let me be in the room when he did it either but when I came back in… it was almost like nothing had even happened, except for the scars." He splashed water at Castiel. "You look good wet," he said. 

Castiel blushed and splashed water back at Dean. "Look who's talking," he muttered with a shy smile before diving under the water again, this time resurfacing a little closer to Dean, "How long did you ask Balthazar to keep them off our tail?"

"I only asked for the distraction so we could get out of the castle. I have faith that no one will find us out here. The only people who know about it are Sam and Rose and I'm the only one who knows how to find it." He reached out and snatched Castiel by the waist of his pants and tugged him closer so he could kiss him, warmed by the afternoon sun. "We are to be married in a week, you know."

"A week," Castiel breathed. He hadn't even been thinking about it and now it seemed to have snuck up behind him. "A week?" he suddenly exclaimed, eyes wide, "I've not yet learned the proper ceremony, I haven't studied on the culture and meaning, I haven't done anything that needs to be done!" He was beginning to panic a bit as he went through a mental list of the things he would need to do.

Dean laughed a little and held him to his chest. "What are you even talking about? Michael is going to escort you into the room, you are going to hold hands with me, our hands will be bound, we kiss, the end. What is there to learn?"

"The significance of every part of the ceremony," Castiel said seriously, as if Dean should have known this, "How can I participate in something unless I understand it fully?"

Dean dunked under the water briefly before coming back up. "Alright," he said, entwining his legs with Castiel's as he tread water. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, when was the official ceremony first put into practice? What does the hand binding signify? Is the kiss meant to seal the end of the ceremony or allude to a new, sexual awakening?" Castiel went on, saying every question that popped into his mind, his inner scholar coming out into the open.

Dean laughed and dunked Castiel under the water to shut him up before swimming to the rocks by the cliff so he could sit while still staying in the water. "If we are going to play scholar you should come sit and stop using your leg."

Castiel stuck out his tongue, momentarily forgetting that he wasn't five years old. He swam over to where Dean sat and hoisted himself up, managing not to wince when it pulled on his shoulders the wrong way. He shook out his hair again, making sure Dean got wet. "Are you going to answer my questions?" he teased.

Dean reached out and affectionately ran his fingers through Castiel's hair before exhaling. "What were they? Oh right. The hand binding... We hold hands like this." He placed Castiel's palm over his so that they were flat against each other but facing opposite directions. "Then the officiator will bind our hands in ribbon to signify the strength of the bond between us, a visual representation of the partnership, connected even when we're not near each other. Then Michael and my father will try to break through the ribbon. If they don't it will be a happy marriage, if they do, there will be misery. It's said that there will never be any children born of the marriage but that's not exactly our problem either way." He laughed a little and traced his fingers down Castiel's wrist. "The kiss is usually removed from political marriages as it is to seal the love between the pair, signifying the beginning of their life together, yadda yadda yadda." He looked up at Castiel. "Anything else?"

"Are we going to kiss?" Castiel asked quietly, almost so quiet that he couldn't hear himself. He stared down at their hands, not wanting to look Dean in the eye, afraid of his answer.

"I think both Michael and my father are planning on having it removed from the ceremony," he said with a shrug. "There isn't a lot of this wedding that you and I get to have a say in. I was lucky I got to pick my own wedding party." His fingers that were trailing down his wrist reached up to take him by the chin forcing him to look up at him. "But even if it is removed, I promise to kiss you anyway. And every day afterward."

Castiel smiled at him, biting his lip against those three little words that bubbled up in his mind again. He ignored them and instead chose to kiss Dean right now, holding his face in his hands as he did so. His lips felt cold and wet, but Castiel didn't care.

Dean smiled into the kiss and pulled Castiel onto his lap to continue kissing him, wrapping his arms around his lower back to dip him back. "Class dismissed then?" He asked with a laugh. 

"For now," Castiel said with a laugh, hands rushing to wrap around Dean's neck to keep him from falling too far backwards.

"You should be prepared for Balthazar and Gabriel's... well… bullshit,” he added with a sigh. "They're going to expect us to have sex that night but I'm letting you know now that we don't need to. Do not let them pressure you." He kissed his nose. "Our relationship is our business and no one else’s."

Castiel gave him a nod. He hadn't really even thought about that. Sex. Would he be ready to have sex in a week? Castiel didn't know. He supposed he would have to wait and see how he felt. "Is it customary to have sex the night of the wedding?" he asked curiously, his scholar voice peeking out.

"Yes," he said adjusting Castiel so he sat more comfortably on his lap. "Originally it was to 'consummate' the marriage. Most husbands like to try and get their wives with child as quickly as possible to ensure that an heir can be sired. But we needn't worry about that in any case, so we can take our time. If we get there, we get there, if we don't, that's fine too." 

"I... I want to get there," Castiel said quietly, skin flushing, "At some point." It was true though. He did want to experience everything his new life would have to offer, especially if it was with Dean. 

"Then we will," he said, kissing his nose, then his cheek. "Slowly, and when you're ready." He laughed a little. "I won't lie to you about it. The first time will be rather unpleasant for you at first. It gets better, but I'll understand if you never want to." 

"I'm sure we'll be able to work through it," Castiel said, sounding more confident than he felt. If it was something Dean wanted and enjoyed, then Castiel wanted to be able to do it for him. If he had to suffer through some unpleasantness for a few times to get there, then he would. 

Dean didn't seem to like the way that sounded, his head tilted to the side and his eyes narrowed as he tried to observe what about his tone made him uncomfortable. "I suppose we don't need to worry about it now," he said, shrugging it off. 

"No we don't," Castiel agreed, "I think we should be more worried about how badly we'll be reprimanded when we finally make our way back to the castle. Michael is not going to be pleased we spent time together without supervision."

"Well, Michael can piss off," Dean said, kissing Castiel's perfect pink lips. "He has no power here and I will not leave your side. Anything he has to say to you he can say in front of me." He looked up at the sun as it started its descent. "Though I do suppose we should get back before they send out a search party. I'd hate for them to find our little spot." 

"Let's hope we dry on the way back," Castiel laughed, giving Dean's cheek a kiss before he stood up and made his way to the edge of the lake. The air was steadily getting colder as the sun began to set and he wrapped his arms around himself as he nodded for Dean to follow him and call Baby over.

Dean put his thumb and forefinger in his mouth and called Baby to them as he climbed out of the lake, pushing his hands through his hair to get rid of the water. "I'd like very much to let Michael see I've made you wet," Dean teased, kissing the back of his shoulders as Baby made her way down. "I would like to make it very clear to him that you are not his possession or plaything."

"You want to try and disprove years of beliefs just by taking me for a dip in the lake?" Castiel teased. He has been a part of Michael's list of 'things' since the day he was born. He had always been meant for a purpose that would someday benefit Michael. 

"It's a start," he said with a sigh as he helped Castiel up onto the horse. "I have never been one to take anything Michael says with any amount of reverence, but I had never known the level of my distaste for the man until I heard how he spoke of you. Especially once I met you." He scoffed, pulling Castiel into his chest and kissing his throat before turning Baby back toward the castle. "Intolerable prat," he murmured as they went off. "Thinking back on it I wish I had punched him like I had wanted to."

Castiel chuckled as he leaned back against Dean. He was completely relaxed as they made their way back to the castle. He had had a rather amazing day with the only person he could think that he would want to spend an entire day with. He couldn't wipe the smile on his face. That is, until they trotted into the courtyard to see everyone waiting for them. Castiel tensed on instinct.

"Have a nice day?" Michael said tightly. To anyone else, he would only seem mildly irritated, but Castiel could see the fury in his eyes. It was that moment when he remembered that neither he nor Dean had gone back for their shirts.

"Yes, we did," Castiel answered back, trying to sound more confident than he was as he crossed his arms over his chest self consciously.

"You did," Michael echoed with narrowed eyes and a tense smile, "I'm glad you enjoyed making a mockery of Novak."

"A mockery in whose eyes?" Dean said with a laugh, getting down and then turning to help Castiel down. "I beg your pardon majesty, but you are in Winchester now, you needn't stand on ceremony. We are going to be family soon." 

"Family by legalities, not by blood. I expect Castiel to behave in a manner befitting a prince of Novak."

"What you expect is none of our concern," he said, putting his arm around Castiel’s waist as they stood there.

Michael's eyes went wide with anger as he looked at the blatant show of affection between the two. 

"So!" Gabriel said loudly, clapping his hands together, "How about dinner? I'm feeling dinner. Let's get food."

"I couldn't agree more, Gabriel," Balthazar said in an equally loud voice, "Isn't everybody hungry?"

"I am," Sam chipped in.

"There we go," Gabriel said with a smile, "Sam's hungry, I'm hungry, Balthazar's always hungry. Let's get ready for dinner. What do you say Michael?" Michael said nothing, choosing instead to turn on his heel and head back into the castle. 

"That could've gone worse," Castiel admitted.

"It'll get worse before it gets better," Dean said, squeezing his grip around Castiel’s waist. 

"You do so love to get under his skin," Balthazar chimed. 

"Have you no shame?" Gabriel teased. 

"I have plenty of shame. I am simply doing nothing that I'm ashamed of." He kissed Castiel’s cheek before leading him away. "We will get dressed and meet you lot for dinner."

"You know if you keep going like that, he's going to explode," Castiel commented as they walked back to their room, stuck together at the hip as they walked.

"I'm counting on it," Dean said with a small laugh. He made his way to the bathroom and rinsed the lake out of his hair before changing his clothes. "Do you want me to stop? I mean I will defend you against his disrespect every chance I get but I you'd like me to stand down I will. For you. For no other reason than you want me to."

"No," Castiel said with an embarrassed blush, "I... I like how you aren't ashamed to touch me. Michael will just have to deal with that." Castiel just combed some water through his hair, knowing that it wouldn't do much anyway. He pulled on a shirt before peeling off his wet pants to find a dry pair.

Dean smiled and kissed the back of his head. "Good,” he said, running his hands up his bare hips. "Perhaps I will show him just how unashamed of you I am."

Castiel breathed in sharply, biting down hard on his lip. "How unashamed of me are you?" he whispered.

Dean moved his hands back down, raking his nails along the insides of his thighs. "There is nothing you could ever do, and no one in this world who could ever see you do it, that would make me ashamed of you." He kissed down his collarbone and shoulder. "I think," he kissed him again. "That being seen with you, in any fashion, instills in me nothing but pride."

A whimper made its way past Castiel's lips as his eyes fluttered shut. Suddenly he jumped away. "No, no we have to go to dinner," he said with a shake of his head and a small smile, "We can't get sidetracked." He pulled on a pair of pants and tried to calm himself down.

Dean ran his tongue over his teeth like a defiant teenager, eyes narrowed as he very seriously considered taking what he wanted. As it always did, his better judgment won out, and he sighed, letting himself fall back dramatically onto his bed with a forlorn sigh. "When we are kings you will be served all your meals in my bed. I will abolish dinner time entirely." 

"You are such a child," Castiel laughed as he let himself fall over, hovering just above Dean as he supported himself with his arms, "If you keep me in bed all the time, I'll become rather fat and undesirable."

"I daresay you could grow to the size of Baby and I would never find you undesirable." He said, leaning up to kiss Castiel. "Now, come, we have an older brother to make uncomfortable with our affections." 

Castiel smiled and blushed as he stood up. "I believe we do," he said, "Not as if we are going to enjoy a meal or anything."

"We can enjoy a meal, as I said previously, in bed," He continued, taking Castiel's arm and leading him toward the dining hall. "But we must entertain guests who need to have their attitudes checked, and I am never one to miss putting someone in their place." He leaned down to kiss Castiel's temple as they entered the dining hall. "Especially where it pertains to you."

Michael caught sight of them as they entered. His jaw tightened, as did his grip on his glass when he saw the gentle kiss placed on Castiel's head. They weren't even married yet, and Castiel was being manipulated and swayed into unsavory acts because he knew no better. Castiel did not notice his older brother's eyes on him as he sat next to Dean.

"How was everyone's day?" he asked instead, taking a sip of his wine. 

"Excellent, thank you," Dean replied, pulling Castiel's chair out for him, helping him to sit because of his leg before he took his seat. "Considering the circumstances of the past few days it was a relief to spend time with Cas, alive and well."

"Cas?" Michael said the nickname as if it tasted bad. 

"He was quite the mess, if you'll recall," Balthazar said. "Made himself an absolute wreck to take care of your little brother over there even as he had wounds of his own to see to."

"My wounds were hardly comparable to Castiel's," Dean defended. "I would hardly call myself a wreck."

Balthazar leaned rather seriously on his elbow. "Dean, you and I have been friends for many years, and I have never seen you cry the way you did kneeling beside his sickbed."

Dean cleared his throat, his neck growing hot with his embarrassment. "I was tired," he tried to defend. 

Sam laughed, covering his mouth to try and keep it in. 

"You cried?" Castiel asked with a teasing smile.

"Like a baby," Balthazar said with a huge grin. Castiel nudged Dean with his hand, giving him a small smile. If he had more confidence, he would have kissed him, but an ingrained fear of an older brother didn't disappear overnight. Sam was now outright laughing at his brother and Castiel had to cover his own mouth as well. 

"He told you the wedding is next week, yes?" Michael inquired tightly.

"Yes," Castiel answered coolly, "We discussed what the ceremony would entail."

"Did you talk about after the ceremony?" Gabriel asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Castiel's face flushed and Michael's grip got a little tighter, a small crack forming in the glass.

"We did," Dean said smoothly, brushing off all the crying business. "We discussed that whatever it entailed would be our business and will not be affected by the barking of dogs like you two," Dean teased, motioning to Balthazar and Gabriel across the table. 

"Honestly, we're all friends here," Balthazar said with a laugh. "You hardly need to lay claim on him, we all know he's yours."

"That's where you're wrong, Balthazar," Dean said with a sigh before thanking the serving girl for his wine. He entwined his fingers with Castiel's and brought his hand to his face. "Castiel is his own person and does not belong to me," He kissed the back of Castiel's hand, his eyes settling coldly on Michael. "He is not a possession, and he belongs to no one."

Castiel blushed and looked down at his lap with a shy smile. Michael, on the other hand, looked the opposite of happy. A vein stood out on his neck and suddenly his glass shattered to pieces in his hand. 

"I would appreciate if you did not defile my brother in front of me," he spat out angrily.

"Dean isn't defiling anyone," Castiel said tightly, "It was barely even a kiss."

"What happened to your values?" Michael hissed.

"Someone showed me the world outside a castle," Castiel said coldly. He looked over at Dean, adoration clear in his eyes. Michael threw down his napkin and left the table without another word. 

Dean exhaled and leaned to kiss Castiel's temple. "Eat. I'll deal with it," He said before standing and chasing after Michael. 

Balthazar clicked his tongue in his mouth. "Going head to head with Michael. Privately. That... I don't know whether to call it brave or stupid."

"Both," Gabriel nodded before continuing to eat as if nothing happened. 

\--

"Majesty, wait," he said catching up to Michael down the hall. 

"Do not speak to me," He hissed as he continued to walk away. 

"I do not understand your outrage, Highness," he called.

"Rescue or no rescue you have no right to disrespect him so," Michael sneered, whirling around on the stairs, still only eye level with the mountain that was Dean. 

"You are accusing me of disrespecting him? I have nothing but the utmost respect for Castiel, you haven't the slightest idea."

"And yet you... you... have made a mockery of him?"

"All due respect, Majesty, You are the one who treats him like cattle, to be traded and bartered to the highest bidder. I treat him like the person he deserves to be treated like." 

"You have no idea what he deserves! You have no idea how family is required to behave."

"Castiel is my family now," Dean hissed quietly. "And he is happy, even given the nightmare he endured, he is happy at my side. If you loved your brother you would see that and stop making a fool of yourself."

Dean didn't stay to let him defend himself. He headed back to dinner. 

Castiel watched Dean come back in without Michael. He sat down and the meal continued, but Castiel could not focus. As much as he disliked Michael's way of treating him and as happy as he was to stand up to his older brother, he didn't like it when they fought. Underneath it all, Castiel liked to hope that they loved each other. He was able to stay put for about two minutes before he excused himself from the table.

"Michael," he said, softly knocking on his brother's guest chambers, "Michael, may we please talk."

"Why should we bother when there is such a better world out there for you," Michael spat as he ripped the door open before returning to his desk. 

"Michael, please be reasonable," Castiel begged as he followed his older brother into the room.

"He has made a mockery of our culture and our values by corrupting you," Michael shouted. Castiel took a step back.

"He has simply shown me a new culture and way of life," Castiel said softly.

"He has made you forget Novak," Michael accused.

"He has made me remember happiness," Castiel tried again. Michael stared at him wide eyed. 

"I didn't know you felt that way," he said nonchalantly. This was much worse than he thought.

"I do," Castiel said with a small smile. 

"You may return to dinner," Michael said coolly, "You've had a long day." Castiel left with a small nod to return to the dining room. Michael sat down at the desk. Something would have to be done about this.

Castiel, of course, had no idea what had been said to cause it, but with both kings gone from the dining hall when he returned, Balthazar and Dean were rolling around on the ground wrestling.

\--

"Take that back," Dean was taunting, sitting his weight on Balthazar's back as he had him in a chokehold. 

"I will do no such thing," He choked out. 

"Balthazar, come now, you know how this end-Cas?" Dean said, immediately releasing Balthazar so he could stand, though once he was on his feet the blonde man swiped his feet out from under him and he toppled onto the flat of his back. "You intolerable prick," Dean swore, tackling him back to the ground, making Balthazar cry out, it was more of a laugh than a yell.

"What are you two fighting about?" Castiel said with a smile as we walked over to the pair. He vaguely took notice that John was gone from the dining room, but didn't think that it was important. 

"Nothing," Balthazar grunted. 

"Nothing," Dean confirmed, getting back to his feet and dusting himself off. "You okay?" He asked, kicking Balthazar in the ass before closing the distance between him and Castiel, taking his hand. "Did you talk to Michael?"

Castiel looked at them suspiciously for a moment before shaking his head in defeat. "I did speak with him and I feel that I may have gotten somewhere," Castiel said happily, "I don't know where that place is, but he seemed to at least vaguely understand."

"Good," he said, kissing his forehead. "He seems perfectly incapable of listening to me, so I am glad that he'll listen to one of us." 

"It'll be a cold day in hell when Michael listens to the likes of you," Balthazar added. 

"He barely listens to us," Gabriel added. 

"That does not mean I won't try," He said resolutely. "He is to be my brother as well, along with you two unhappy relations." He kissed Castiel's head again. "I'm going to put Sam to bed. It's been a few days since I did. I don't want him to feel neglected." 

He scooped Sam out of his chair and put him on his shoulder before trotting him out of the room. 

Balthazar sat down in whatever seat was closest. "Damned brute," he scolded, rolling out his shoulder. 

Castiel laughed, eyes trailing after Dean as he left.

"Now will you tell me what you got beaten up for?" Castiel asked Balthazar.

"I was not beaten up," he huffed, wiping some dust from his shirt.

"Oh yeah, and water isn't wet," Gabriel scoffed. Balthazar just glared at him.

"Oh, just tell me," Castiel begged.

"I was teasing him for crying," Balthazar sighed. "I really shouldn't have, it was quite sweet. But you know me."

Gabriel laughed, shaking his head. "It must have been a sight. I can't picture him crying." 

"In his defense he wasn't crying like a baby," Balthazar added with a grin. "I was going in to see if there was any progress. It was really quite late but I knew he wasn't going to be sleeping. You know how helpful I can be in times of great strife..."

"Of everything I could call you, helpful has never been one of them."

Balthazar stuck his tongue out, then Gabriel did it back. 

"Anyway, he was just sitting there beside you," He said, looking back up to Castiel. "He had your hand in his like this..." He scooted next to Gabriel and rested both of his elbows on Gabriel's chair arm and held Gabriel's hand in between both of his. "You both looked like a tragic painting. Perfectly still. If it weren't for his fingers moving back and forth over your hand or the silent, tortured, mournful tears staining his cheeks, I might not have known otherwise."

"You are so dramatic it makes my very teeth hurt," Gabriel spat.

"I am not dramatic I am romantic, thank you very much," Balthazar said with a sigh, returning to look up at Castiel. "He was talking as well, but for the life of me I couldn't hear it. He was more talking to himself than to you, I imagine."

"I wonder what he was saying," Castiel mused.

"You could always ask him," Balthazar said with a shrug, only wincing slightly.

"Yes, I highly doubt he would deny you anything, little brother," Gabriel said with a grin.

"I'm sure he would tell me if it was important," Castiel said, brushing them away.

"Or perhaps he's too afraid to say it," Balthazar said, scooting back into the chair closest to Castiel, "Maybe he needs to know that you'll accept him no matter what." Castiel pushed his friend's face away with a laugh.

"Honestly, I've never met someone so melodramatic," he chuckled.

"See, I'm not the only one," Gabriel laughed.

"Does no one see my sensitive romantic side?" Balthazar cried mournfully, his over exaggeration keeping anyone from think he was serious.

"It's hidden by your loud obnoxious side," Gabriel deadpanned.

"Oh, I like you," Balthazar grinned.

"I'm going to ask him," Castiel decided, standing from his chair.

"Good luck, little brother," Gabriel called.

"Try not to consummate too loudly," Balthazar added, only to receive a punch in the arm from Gabriel. Castiel rolled his eyes and set off to find Dean, who was hopefully done putting Sam to bed.

Sam and Dean exchanged goodnights and headed back toward his room, catching Castiel coming up the stairs. "Turning in early?" He asked with a grin as he came up on his side.

"I actually wanted to ask you," Castiel began, only a little bit nervous, "Balthazar said he saw you saying something to me or yourself when I wasn't awake. I was wondering what it was?"

Dean cleared his throat. That rat bastard. He pushed the door to their room opened and tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. "You were 'not awake' quite a lot these past few days. Was he referring to something specific? I was rather tired I uh... might not remember all that much."

"He was referring to when he came in and saw you crying," Castiel said with a small smile, "Called it a tragic painting."

"He does so love to be dramatic," Dean said under his breath, lighting the lanterns around the room. He cleared his throat and sat down on the bed, hands clenched between his legs. "I don't really remember," he lied, rubbing his hands together and looking at the floor. "It was a difficult time, you understand I was... well, as Balthazar put it so eloquently, quite a wreck." 

"If you say so," Castiel said as he sat beside him, not wanting to push the subject. He could tell something was a little off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He was sure Dean would tell him if it was important.

Dean kept his eyes on the ground, running over the memory with no small amount of reluctance. "You don't know what it was like," He said softly, swallowing. "I mean you were unconscious, but it was three days. Three days of just... waiting..." He exhaled and rubbed the back of his neck. "You were so pale... like... a shadow of your former self. I was just... I don't know... I honestly don't really remember what I said out loud and what I didn't but... I kept thinking about everything I'd promised you... all the things I was going to show you, all the new things we were going to do." He cleared his throat to try and hide how it trembled. "I just wanted you to wake up, and for three days you just... didn't. You know, I promised to protect you, that I was never going to let anything happen to you. And there you were, on the brink of death while we waited for your family." He exhaled a hard breath. "I was so helpless, you know? If you hadn't gone looking for me... if I had been there..." he exhaled and a tear escaped the corner of his eye, and he looked up at the ceiling like that was going to make it stop. "I guess I was praying," he said finally. "Praying that I hadn't lost you. That I hadn't been too late. We had only just understood each other, I wasn't ready to let you go." 

Castiel moved until he was sitting in Dean's lap, arms wrapped tightly around his neck as he hugged the life out of him. "I lo-- care about you," he whispered, "So, so much. I will never forgive myself for making you feel like that and I will do my best to never make you feel like that again." He stayed there for a moment before he pulled back, just enough so he could see Dean's face. "But you can't blame yourself," he insisted quietly, "You can't wonder what would have happened if you did this or that. Everything turned out okay. I'm sure Crowley will think twice now about attacking Winchester or Novak." He pressed a soft kiss to the corner of Dean's lips. "You have given me more than I ever imagined having in my life and I can't wait to see what else you have in store for me."

"Crowley won't get the chance," Dean said resolutely, wrapping his arms around Castiel like he was going to disappear if he didn't. "Crowley and his encampment have numbered days." He exhaled and kissed Castiel's neck, staining his neck with the tear on his cheek. "Two weeks ago I had no idea who you were. I was dreading meeting you, much less marrying you." He kissed his throat again, more openly, tonguing his throat. "And now this week can't possibly go by fast enough." 

Castiel's fingers clenched in the fabric of Dean's shirt as he found himself tilting his head to the side to let Dean get at his neck. "I-I couldn't ag-gree more," he stammered, eyes shut as he pressed a little closer to Dean. "More," he whispered again, not actually sure if he was just repeating himself or asking for something, but he couldn't bring himself to care when he was this close to Dean.

Whether or not it was a request, Dean obliged anyway, moving his mouth over Castiel's neck like he was starved for it, his hands working off the buttons of his shirt and peeling it off his shoulders. He moved Castiel so he was straddling him as the sat there, moving his mouth over his collarbone and down his chest, moaning into his skin. 

Castiel was already panting, breathy moans and whimpers leaving his throat as he rid Dean of his shirt as well, scrabbling at the warm skin for purchase. He arched into Dean's touch, feeling the fire spread through his body. 

Dean groaned. When Castiel arched, their groins ground together. He pulled Castiel into a passionate kiss, kissing him like he was trying to reach his soul with his tongue, moaning into his mouth and sucking on Castiel's tongue. He lifted him to move himself into the center of the bed so he could lay back, bringing Castiel with him and rolling their hips together. He sat up just enough to run his tongue along Castiel's nipple until it puckered under the light touch before covering it in his mouth. 

Castiel let out a sharp cry of pleasure before biting his lip, suddenly worried that he may be too loud. His nipples had only been given passing attention before, and he had no idea that such a useless part of him could be so sensitive. He somehow managed to tangle his hands in Dean's hair while supporting himself on his elbows and keeping his hips in constant motion. Words spilled from his lips as moans, though Castiel honestly had no idea what he was saying. The words "yes", "God", "Dean", and "more" seemed to be common from what he could tell.

He groaned and quickly got Castiel out of his pants, lifting him so he could rip it off his feet. He was in not mood to be slow. He was desperate. He had been concentrating on Castiel and, in many ways he still was, but he wanted more. He moved Castiel so his knees were straddling his shoulders and took Castiel into his mouth, moving so that he slid snuggly down his throat, moving his hips with his hands so that he was forced to catch himself on his hands, on all fours over Dean. He moved Castiel's hips with his hands thrusting him down into his mouth until he took up the movements on his own. He moaned and sent vibrations down into the soft skin, hoping to make him lose control. Dean could take it, and god damn, he wanted to. 

Castiel's jaw went slack and he didn't know what to do. His body was saying one thing and his mind was saying another. He'd never felt anything like this. Even the first time Dean had done this to him had felt different. This was almost more animal, more instinctual. Much more intense. Suddenly, the last bit of Castiel's rationality snapped and his body took over. His hips moved almost impossibly fast, thrusting down the wet heat of Dean's throat, a litany of moans leaving Castiel's lips. He let his head hang between his shoulders, a light sheen of sweat covering his skin as he moved.

Dean groaned, keeping his jaw slack and his lips tight, swallowing down the length of him as he thrust into his mouth. He moved his hand onto the base of his cock, gripping it firmly to feel for that tension. The sight of Castiel losing control, letting the animal take hold of him, it ignited something in him. Dean dug his nails into the meat of Castiel's leg, letting loud, sharp moans buzz down into Castiel's skin.

The pricks in his thigh only spurred him on, caught between groaning and shouting, but he knew he couldn't be too loud. He could feel a now familiar tension building up in the pit of his stomach and he knew he was getting close. Dean's moans vibrated through his skin, sending sparks through his body as he tried to hold on.

Dean tongued hungrily at him as he thrusted into his throat. The hand on his leg moved him faster, harder into his mouth. He other hand, now slick with saliva snaked between his legs to run a teasing finger up along his entrance, prodding at it gently as he rocked his hips forward. 

Castiel came with a cry almost immediately. Part of him hated himself for being unable to last and ruining something before it really got started. He would have to work on his stamina. Maybe Balthazar would have tips. All this barely registered in his fogged up mind. His limbs shook with the effort it was taking to hold himself up.

Dean rolled them as he swallowed down his release, allowing Castiel to roll onto his back and relax. He grinned as he came off of Castiel, tracing his tongue up until the very last moment before sliding his tongue back into his mouth with a victorious, almost viscous smile on his face, moving like a predator as he crawled back up Castiel to kiss him.

Castiel could taste himself on Dean's tongue, which was strange. Though, he supposed it wasn't an all-together unpleasant taste. He kissed back as best he could in his lethargic and sated state. He finally pulled away to take in a deep breath. A bit embarrassed as it really came back to him what he had done. "I-I," Castiel stammered, not even sure what to say, "Do you need me to... take care of you?" 

Dean laughed. "I'm almost a little offended you can make coherent sentences still," he teased, kissing down his throat. He peeled back the covers and lifted Castiel via the arm around his back and deposited him in bed, kissing his forehead. "I'll take an I.O.U." He laughed a little and eased out of the bed. "Sleep," he said, squeezing Castiel's head. He needed a cold shower. 

Castiel tried to protest, but he didn't think he was saying actual words. He had never felt so beautifully drained in his life. As hard as he tried, he couldn't make his body move correctly to get back out of bed and take care of Dean. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep, unable to keep his eyes open for a moment longer.

Dean laughed and ran an affectionate hand down Castiel's face, through his hair, traced his dark eyebrows with his thumb. God, he was in deep. Drawing a cold bath would do nothing but wake him, so he simply leaned in his window, letting the bracing wind hit his face and chest, closing his eyes and thinking of the week ahead. Once his frustration died, he ran his fingertips along his scalp and groaned, looking back at Castiel's peaceful face before laughing and climbing in beside him. This time he didn't bother to hold Castiel, regardless that he wanted to, but he'd had a hard enough time calming down the first time, he didn't need to tempt fate. 

Castiel turned in towards the middle of the bed, towards Dean. They still weren't touching, but it brought them a bit closer together. He was sleeping deeply, barely even aware of his surroundings. He doubted he would wake up even if the castle had caught fire. Thankfully, he slept through the night, able to get away without encountering any nightmares.

Dean slept rather uncomfortably, but he slept, hands above his head as he rested his head on his own arm. His leg was raised, knee pointing toward the ceiling as he slept, having kicked the blankets off himself in the middle of the night. He was hot, and frustrated, and even in his sleep he could feel it. Luckily as the sun began to lighten the sky, he knew he had practice that morning, and could take out his frustrations there. 

The blankets had tangled around Castiel's legs overnight, baring his torso to the morning light. Still he didn't wake up. He simply turned his face away from the window and continued to sleep. He had never felt so utterly spent in all his life and he had Dean to thank for that.

When the sun finally woke Dean, he groaned, stretching his arms above his head and seeing Castiel bundled in all the blankets like a cocoon. He laughed and kissed his head, careful not to wake him as he made his way down to practice for the day. 

"Winchester," Michael called.

"Majesty," He said as he descended the stairs. "You rise rather early." 

"As do you. I am glad to see it."

"Indeed. The military will not train itself."

"Is that what you do in the early hours?" He said, rubbing his chin. "I shall join you, then."

"Join me?" Dean said, trying not to laugh. "You wish to train?"

"Hardly," Michael snorted. "I wish to observe."

"Very well, my lord," Dean said with a respectful bow, turning to head toward the training grounds. "It will be an honor to have you."

Castiel finally awoke long after the sun had begun to rise in the sky. The sheets next to him felt cold and he knew that Dean must have had training. He hadn't been in attendance for quite some time and Castiel felt guilty for being the cause of that. He dressed quickly and grabbed a slice of bread from a passing tray in the corridor as his breakfast. He was sure that whomever it was for would not mind too terribly. Castiel wanted to be there to support Dean.

Michael sat in the same stands Castiel had sat in that first day watching the training with a muted expression. Dean wasn't using his left arm, though the men didn't seem to notice, just glad that he was back on the grounds. Even only using one arm he was faster, stronger than the rest of them, throwing them over his shoulder to demonstrate. The drills were fast and hard and Dean did them all right along with them, going down into a push up, then popping up, doing a jump squat, then going back down into a push up. Dean did all his push ups with his right hand only, looking rather like he was showing off, when in fact he really should have still had his sling on. 

"Ah, little brother," Michael called, seeing Castiel. "Come to watch your lover show off his pectoral muscles?"

"I've come to support my betrothed," Castiel answered coolly, trying to appear unflustered by his older brother's words, "You cannot say the same. What are you doing here?" He took a seat beside his brother, expression neutral as it often was in the other's presence.

"They are to be protecting our people, Castiel. I have a right to see what all the fuss is about." He pursed his lips. "I'll admit, it is an impressive display. I am eager to learn how he commands their loyalty with no draft. He has women in the mix as well, most peculiar. He acts as one of them rather than their leader. They cannot respect him"

"They respect him immensely because he is one of them," Castiel said, shaking his head in disagreement, "Not one of them questions his judgment or resolve because they know that he will be there with them. A ruler oversees. A leader shows the way."

"The words of our general as we marched into battle were not 'go boys go' but 'come boys, follow me'," Michael quotes, one of the many lines from the many legends surrounding General Winchester. "Yet what becomes of his beloved men when there is no one to lead him? What happens to them when he dies in the action for foolishly charging ahead? What will become of Winchester?" he turned his head, one eyebrow cocked. "What will become of you?"

"His men will mourn, as will his country and as will I," Castiel said slowly, not wanting to dwell on a subject like this for very long, "But there will still be the King and Sam, and I will be sure to help in any way that I am able." In truth, Castiel had never really thought about it. Dean just seemed so invincible, so immortal, that the thought of him dying in battle had never even crossed Castiel's mind. Proof that this was folly was moving before him, his betrothed forced onto one arm because of a battle wound. Castiel bit his lip. 

"You will hardly have a chance to get used to married life before your theory is tested," Michael crooned. "For once the union is complete, Winchester will lead the charge against Lucifer, as promised. Do you think your beloved will simply allow his army to invade without him? No, he is much to honorable for that. He will lead, and he will fall upon Lucifer's sword. And when John is dead you will be king of Winchester." Michael laughed like that thought very much pleased him. All was going according to plan. 

"Until Sam is of age," Castiel added quickly with wide eyes. This sounded as though Michael had planned for him to usurp the Winchester throne all along. That had never been something that Castiel wanted. "Dean would have wanted that and so that is what will happen." He suddenly caught on to something that Michael said and dragged his older brother closer by the sleeve of his shirt, damning the consequences. "Of what ailment will John die," he hissed into his older brother's ear, "He is not ill nor will he be charging in the battle."

"He will succumb to his alcoholism in nary a few years," Michael added with a chuckle. "My goodness this Winchester boy has certainly brainwashed you against me something fierce." 

"He has done no such thing," Castiel disagreed, "He has taught me new things and showed me new ways of life, but my admiration of him does not affect my common sense. My purpose here is to unite two kingdoms, not take over one." He refrained from mentioning John's sobriety, having a feeling that Michael would find some way to ruin that.

"You would turn over an opportunity to further Novak? You would cast aside the opportunity to make our Kingdom the greatest in the world? For the likes of him?" He sneered, pointing down at the man in question. "You would let down everything our country stands for, everything our father stood for, for a man you barely know? Has he filled your head with such pleasantries? He cares not for you, you naive thing. How could he? A man as experienced and sought after as he... what would he even do with a caged bird like you? You know nothing of the world, of the bedroom. Do you think he could possibly enjoy you as he enjoyed so many?" He laughed on loud bitter sound. "He is playing you, Castiel. Banking on your loyalty to keep you from usurping the kingdom, as would be your right. That would be worth a few frustrated nights, a few slumbers unspent, unsatisfied by the likes of you."

That hit a little too close to home, directly on one of Castiel's insecurities. He felt angry tears sting the corners of his eyes and he refused to look at Michael, focusing his slowly blurring vision down on the training ground. He shook his head, trying to convince himself more than Michael. "You don't know him," he said quietly, too afraid to speak louder as he didn't want his voice to crack or tremble, "Dean isn't like that. He's not. He doesn't care about those things. He cares for me. I know he does."

"You are not angry at me, you are angry because you know it is true," He put a comforting hand on Castiel's leg. "It is their way, Castiel. Better that you prepare yourself now."

Castiel stood, Michael's hand falling from his leg. He gave his older brother a tight bow before dashing from the stands and heading back to the castle. It wasn't true. He knew it wasn't true. Why else would Dean spend three days at his bedside? Castiel is brought back to the night before for a moment, when Dean declined his offer. He shook his head. It was mere circumstance. Dean cared for him. He had to.

Dean was aching by the time practice was finished. He and Michael made polite small talk, but he seemed far too pleased for Dean's liking. He headed back to his room for a hot bath, maybe soak his sore shoulder. 

Castiel hid in the back of the library until he could calm himself down. He had no reason to panic about anything. He had immeasurable proof that Dean truly cared for him and was not merely trying to gain his loyalty in case he did not return from battle. There were so many instances that contradicted everything that Michael said, but Castiel still could not bring himself to face him, the coward that he was.

Dean bathed, shaved, and made his way downstairs in search for Castiel before he got back to work. When he couldn't find him he checked the library, hoping to find him and Sam cuddled up together like usual. "Cas?" he asked as he peeked in. "Who's the one hiding now?" he said with a chuckle before seeing he was alone. "Hey, you okay?"

"Of course," Castiel said, turning to look at Dean with a teasing smile, "Can one not desire to be alone for a few hours? I've had a very busy few days, after all." He wasn't going to tell the other what Michael had said. There was no reason to. If it was false, then he will have worried Dean over nothing, and Castiel did not wish to think about what would happen should Michael's words prove to be true.

Dean arched a suspicious eyebrow, but said nothing on it. "I saw you at practice, but you left before I could come and see you," he kneeled down beside his chair, inserting himself between Castiel's legs so he could lean up and kiss him. "How did you sleep?" He teased, nudging into Castiel's face playfully. "Soundly, I trust?"

"I do not think even the gravest of emergencies would have woken me," Castiel admitted with a blush, "I was quiet exhausted. I did not wake until late morning." He completely ignored Dean's mention of his presence at training that morning. He did not wish to think about it. "Was your morning good?" he inquired.

"Any morning I awake and find you beside me is a good one," He said, leaning up to kiss under Castiel's jaw. "I need to get some work done but I wanted to come see you first. Do you need anything?"

"I'm alright," Castiel said with a soft smile, "Go get your work done." It wasn't until Dean stood up to leave that Castiel suddenly felt his insecurities return to him. He stood, grabbing Dean's face with both hands and pulling him in for a breathtaking kiss, pressing against him as much as their bodies would allow without falling over. He pulled away panting. "Now go get your work done," he said breathlessly.

Dean didn't hesitate to put an arm around Castiel's neck and pull him back in, spinning them so that he pressed Castiel up against the door to the library, pinning him there with his mass as he reached his tongue into his mouth. He exhaled a hot breath against Castiel's mouth as he slowly pulled away. "You cannot simply kiss me like that," he said through his teeth, his jaw set. 

"Consider it noted," Castiel panted, eyes dazed as he looked at nothing in particular. For some reason, he hadn't expected a reaction like that. He hated this for being his first thought, but he felt like this most definitely blew a hole through Michael's claim. It would certainly take dedication to pretend for something like that.

He leaned down to kiss him again, the hand he had on the door bunched into a fist as he tried to get a hold of himself. "I need to work," he said between kisses, making absolutely no attempt to move away, just continuing to meet their lips together.

"Then go work," Castiel answered between fiery kisses, returning them just as eagerly as Dean was giving them, not giving him any incentive to actually stop and go complete his work. 

Maybe he'd need a cold bath first. He slowly rose from the kisses, both his hands now supporting him on the door behind Castiel. He huffed a breath through his nose, eyes closed as he tried to get a hold of himself. "God, you are like the sirens of old," he groaned, nuzzling the side of Castiel's face. "Hell bent on breaking me." 

"I guess it's a good thing you're a strong man of Winchester," Castiel said, a teasing lilt to his voice. He placed a soft kiss on Dean's cheek before sliding out from under the trap his arms had created and moving back towards where he had been sitting. "Go complete your work before someone comes looking for you."

Dean let his head fall onto the wooden door for a few moments. He didn't turn around, or say anything, he just left. It was the only way he could force himself to leave. Lord, he'd thought practice had helped him, but all of last night's frustrations just came back to hit him square in the chest. It was going to be a long night. 

Seeing Dean had made Castiel feel better and his reaction to the searing kiss had only made him feel more so. Sitting back down with his book, Castiel began thinking. Dean rarely let him reciprocate. Even in the forest, he had said that Castiel didn't have to. Castiel was comfortable with the way that things were going now, but he knew that even before Michael he had been feeling a need to give Dean what Dean was giving him. He would make sure the other knew it tonight.

As Dean always did, he worked well into the night. Michael and his father all going over plans and paper work and writing out the treaty that was to be signed as part of the wedding ceremony. By the time the moon and grown large and heavy in the sky, the king's had returned to their respective rooms and Dean was alone, pouring over his paperwork for what seemed like the thousandth time. The wedding was in five days. He couldn't let anything go astray. 

Castiel allowed Dean to continue working for three hours after the moon had made itself a home in the sky before he went to get him. He knocked gently as he always did before entering, not wanting to startle the other man. "Dean, you've worked long enough," he said smiling, "Come on, it's time to sleep now."

Dean looked up at Castiel over the rim of his glasses, then out the window. "I didn't realize you were going to make a habit of this," he said with a chuckle, taking his glasses off and letting them fall onto the desk. He stretched his arms above his head before putting his hands on the new desk and pushing himself up to stand, making his way to the door. "Did you manage to hide from everyone successfully? Or did Balthazar pull you into dinner?"

"Balthazar ensured that I was fed, though I cannot say the same for you," Castiel answered as he leaned against the doorframe, "Have you eaten?" He disliked not knowing that Dean was taken care of when he got into working binges like this. Castiel understood that it was important he complete it, but he would do no good for anyone by collapsing again.

"Uh... if I say no are you going to make me?" He said almost wincing as they walked. "What if I promise to eat tomorrow?"

"That will not change the fact that you did not eat today," Castiel sighed, shaking his head a bit fondly, "I asked a small tray be brought to the room. Just eat a few bites before sleeping. You cannot continue to be so rude to your body."

Dean laughed, and wrapped his arm around Castiel's shoulder. "Perhaps I simply adore finally having someone looking after me," he said, kissing the top of his head before pulling their door open. He saw the small tray of meats and cheeses and plucked a piece of roast beef from it. "So," he said as he ate. "Michael says you were upset this morning," he added nonchalantly 

"I was simply tired," Castiel said, turning to remove his shirt so that Dean couldn't see his face, "What is there for me to be upset about?" He was beginning to get a little nervous about what he'd planned on trying, but he very much-wanted Dean to be satisfied. Castiel slid his shirt off his shoulders, steeling his resolve.

"I don't know, you tell me," Dean said, approaching Castiel and taking his now bare sides in his hands. "You know you can tell me anything, right? I don't want you to keep things from me." 

"I've nothing to hide," Castiel murmured as he turned in Dean's arms. He kissed Dean's lips softly before moving on, trailing up his jaw and down his neck as he unbuttoned and removed the other's shirt. He ran his hands down Dean's bare torso, stopping at the waistband of his pants. Castiel glanced up at Dean for a moment before he moved to unbuckle them, now kissing at his collarbone.

Something was up, and Dean tried to ignore the fire he was igniting in his skin. He cleared his throat. "What uh... What are you doing?"

"I want to return the favor," Castiel muttered into Dean's skin. He maneuvered Dean, using mostly momentum, and got him to sit down on the edge of the bed, his pants now around his calves. Castiel kissed him again, bracing himself with hands on either side of the other's thighs. He knew he was stalling a bit as he began slowly kissing down Dean's body, his neck, his chest, his abdomen, until he lay a soft kiss on his hip. 

Dean sucked in a breath through his teeth, but he knew something was... off about it. He quickly put his hand under Castiel's chin, ruining his progress and lifting him so they were eye level. "Did Balthazar put you up to this?" He asked, not accusatory, more concern than anything. "Or is this about something else?" 

"I just want you to feel as satisfied as I do," Castiel said quietly, but firmly, "I cannot only take from you and give nothing back." He took Dean's hand from his chin and kissed the palm. He did not mention that though he had already been thinking it, it was Michael's comment that had truly sent him into action. 

"This isn't like you," he said, nudging at Castiel's face with his. "Don't push yourself on my account, Cas. I don't need all of this." He slid his hand along the side of Castiel's face and looked up at him with upturned eyebrows. "I just want you to be happy. Everything else can come later. Don't do something you don't want to do."

"I want to," Castiel insisted, "I've been... curious." Gathering every ounce of courage that he had, he reached between them and took hold of Dean's length, moving with slow, steady strokes. "Please," he whispered in Dean's ear, "Please let me give back to you what you've given me."

Deans grip tightened and he let out a small sound as his whole body tensed, feeling himself harden in Castiel's hands. "Oh... okay..." He said softly. "But if you want to stop... stop," he said firmly. He moved back onto the bed bringing Castiel with him. He knew it was easier if he was laying down to give Castiel control over the situation, so he relented, laying back on the bed and kicking out of his pants. HE kissed Castiel a few times before looking up at him. "Go slow," he instructed softly. "Don't push."

Castiel gave a nod of assent before focusing completely on the task at hand. He kept his strokes slow and leisurely, not wanting to do much more than bring Dean to full hardness. He began his trail again, starting softly with a kiss to Dean's lips before trailing down his body. He looked up at Dean, kissing each of his hips in turn before looking towards his goal. He had thought about how to go about it. He doubted that he would be as good as Dean his first time. He didn't think he would be able to take very much into his mouth either. However, he had taken vague notice of what Dean did. Dean never used his teeth, and he used his tongue against the more sensitive parts. Castiel grabbed the base to keep it steady as he began taking what he could into his mouth.

Dean could see Cas straining and, almost out of instinct to protect him, a hand flew down to reach under Castiel's chin, smoothing his fingers down his throat so he didn't crane his neck and hurt himself, like was common. "That's it," he praised before sucking in a hard breath through his teeth, helping to keep Castiel's jaw relaxed. "Mmh, yeah, that's it," he said again, watching Castiel as he learned. He was a scholar alright, quickly finding what worked and didn't. Dean groaned approvingly whenever he did something that felt good before running his hand back up his throat to his chin. God, he was sexy. It was a good thing Castiel literally had no idea how attractive he was to Dean because Balthazar would certainly teach him how to use that against him. He looked down at him, watching as his breathing started to slowly pick up. 

Castiel took careful note of Dean's reactions, being sure to repeat something when it received a groan or muttered words of approval. He kept going, taking care of what didn't fit in his mouth with his hand. He knew he was probably doing an amateur job at best, but if he was able to bring Dean to orgasm, then he was okay with that. He would get better with time. He gave the head a small flick of his tongue as he came up, doing it once more before sliding down again, wanting to see what Dean would do. 

Dean flinched, exhaling a hard breath as Castiel moved. Dean could see the scholar in him as he went about it almost as a project, looking for reactions, testing different theories; it was endearing if nothing else. He waited until he bobbed back down past the head before stopping him. "There," He said softly. "Close your mouth."

Castiel obeyed without question, though was a little unsure of where to go from there. Rather than waiting for instruction, he decided to wing it. Castiel hollowed out his cheeks slightly, using his tongue to lap at the head. He suddenly remembered Dean moaning, sending vibrations through Castiel's skin, and so he did the same.

"Unh, yeah," he said, his back arching under the sensation. His breath came a little faster letting his head fall back onto the pillow. "That’s it, just like that, oh god," he moaned, more breathed. 

Castiel listened. He continued laving attention on the head of Dean's length, using his hand to take care of the rest of it. He tried to keep an almost constant hum in his throat, vibrating through Dean's skin. 

Dean had already been riled, and he was lucky enough to be the type of person who, through years of experience, could hold on almost indefinitely before succumbing, but he could also simply let go, concentrate, and not last at all if he so chose. He didn't want to make Castiel work for longer than he had to, and he didn't want him to think this first time was anything but a success. He flexed his feet as he let the sensation wash over him before lifting his head to look down at him working. "Look at me," he said softly, his hand stroking the side of his face. "Don't stop, uhn... but let me see your face." 

Castiel felt a little weird about it, but he obeyed. He opened his eyes, which he had not realized had been closed until he had to open them. He tilted his head just enough so that he could continue but so Dean could see him better as well. Their gazes locked and Castiel tongued at the slit.

It hadn't always been, but Dean found that Castiel's eye contact was quickly becoming his favorite thing. "Oh god," he said almost surprised by the powerful reaction it caused in him. He watched Castiel's perfect pink lips moving along the shape of him, his tongue lapping at it, his piercing blue eyes staring up at him expectantly. "Oh my god," he said again, quickly almost unbelieving. "Cas don't...unh," He shook his head softly. "Don’t' stop... please oh god."

Castiel held his stare, surprised by how much Dean seemed to enjoy it. He moved with more fervor now, sucking, licking, moaning, anything he could do to bring Dean to the edge. He wanted more than anything to have Dean feel the same way the he made Castiel feel.

He didn't know what Cas was going to do once Dean came, if he intended to swallow it down, or remove himself, but all Dean was going to be able to give him was fair warning. "I'm... I’m close," he said, letting his head fall back onto the bed as he writhed under Castiel's touch. "Oh god, keep going..." his feet pointed as he felt the tension threaten to erupt. He wanted to reach down and entangle his fingers into Castiel's hair, to thrust up into him, but he fought it. Instead his hands flew to his own head, fisting into his hair as he tried to concentrate on not moving, Castiel's well being ever at the forefront of his mind. "Cas," He said, looking back down at him, jaw slackened. "Here it comes I... I... I'm..." He interrupted himself with a long moan, his back arching and almost lifting him off the bed, his hands pounding down into the bed and fisting into the blanket as his body writhed. 

Castiel remembered how Dean had swallowed all of his release and had wanted to do the same, but was not actually prepared for what it actually felt like. He sputtered a bit, swallowing what he could before pulling away, Dean's release dripping from the cheek and chin. Castiel was a bit bewildered, and he knew he probably looked a little like a deer caught in the middle of the road. 

Dean couldn't help but chuckle a little through his panting. "I...tried to warn you," he said, smiling affectionately as he reached down to clear Castiel's face with his thumb before wiping it on his shirt. His body still twitched as the euphoria eased away. Finally he sat up, willing himself strong. "You okay?" he asked, taking Castiel by the chin and observing him, trying to see if he missed anything. 

Castiel nodded slowly. "I'm alright," he said, thinking about it for a moment, taking everything into consideration. He was though. He felt perfectly okay. He looked at Dean for a moment before averting his eyes, staring off to the side. "Was... was it..." he tried to ask, a flush coming into his cheeks, "Did I... it was okay?" Castiel may have confidence in many other subjects, but this was certainly not one of them.

Dean couldn't help but laugh. "You needn't be so self conscious, Cas," he said, kissing his cheekbones, then his lips. "You can do no wrong by me." He kissed him again. "You are perfect. I don't know what is making you think otherwise, but stop." He pulled back so he could look into his eyes again, shaking his head. "I don't like to see you so insecure. Trust me, if it wasn't good I would have stopped you, or told you so, or any number of things but it never would have gotten to this point if it wasn't good. Understand?"

Castiel gave Dean a small smile and a nod, but something about it didn't reach his eyes. He couldn't help but hear Michael's voice in his head. 'He cares not for you, you naive thing. What would he even do with a caged bird like you? He is playing you, Castiel.' He pushed the thoughts away, focusing on Dean's words, not Michael's. Dean who was looking at him as if nothing in the world could compare. Dean who cared for him like no one else ever has. "You must be tired," Castiel said with a brief yawn, "You should retire. You have training again tomorrow."

Dean's jaw set. "No," he said firmly, letting his hands from Castiel's face. "Not until you tell me what's going on." 

"Nothing is going on," Castiel insisted, technically only a half-truth. Nothing was really going on, just Castiel's mind running away from him, caught in Michael's influence just like when he was a child. 

Dean seemingly rather frustrated, rolled out of the bed and put his pants on, having a hard time taking himself seriously when he was naked. He turned around and made his way around to the other side of the bed and brought Castiel to sit on the edge and stood between his legs, looking down at him. "Listen to me," he said gravely. "I have spent the past two weeks memorizing the contours of your face: the lines of your throat, melody of your laughter, the way your eyes crinkle on the edges when you smile and light up when you laugh. Do not tell me nothing is going on. Something is bothering you, and the fact that you will not tell me it... What could it possibly be? What have I done? I cannot fix it if you do not tell me." He ran his fingers through his hair trying not to look as distressed as he felt. "Castiel, talk to me. I may not know you well, but I know you well enough to know that you're not telling me something." 

Castiel looked up at Dean. He could see the desperation in his eyes, feel the slight inner panic coming off him in waves. He felt horrible. Dean has done nothing wrong. There is nothing that Dean could ever do in Castiel's eyes that would be wrong. However, Castiel couldn't bring himself to relay what Michael had said to him. There was just something keeping his mouth shut. He looked down at his hands and tried to swallow around the lump forming in his throat. "There is nothing to tell," he whispered, afraid that if he spoke too loudly his voice would crack or tremble.

Dean just stood there, looking down at him. His eyebrows upturned and his lips parted ever so slightly as if he simply couldn't wrap his head around the situation. When it finally sank in, he felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach. His hand unconsciously rose to his chest, as if that would somehow counteract the deep ache in his chest, feeling something inside of him drop. "You..." he said, but it was so soft, like he'd had the breath knocked out of him. "You just... lied to me... me." He stumbled back a few steps, replacing his sadness with rage because it was the only thing he knew how to cope with. "I... can't be here, I have to go," he said quickly, turning to prevent Castiel from seeing the pain in his face, making his way quickly to the door and shutting it behind him. No shirt, no shoes, nothing but his pants and his rage accompanied him as he hurried down the stairs. Castiel didn't trust him? After all this time? Or maybe it was more than that... maybe it was something else. He shook his head and charged out into the bracing night air, hands fists at his sides. 

It was as though a loud crack had echoed through the room, Castiel could hear Dean's faith in him shatter. His head shot up as he watched Dean back out of the room, shaking his head as if that could stop it from happening. Before Castiel could even stand and take a step, Dean was gone. Tears welled up in his eyes and he shook his head again, like if he denied it hard enough everything would be okay again. For a moment, Castiel was frozen, silent tears streaking down his face before he was snapped back into action. He ripped the door open and shot out into the hall, running as fast as he could to try and catch up with Dean. His lungs burned and his bare feet slapped hard against the stone floors, but he did not stop. He flung himself down the stairs that led to the stables to see that Baby was already gone. Castiel sunk down to the floor, curling in on himself as he pressed a hand to his mouth, muffling the sobs that wracked his body. This was all his fault. He never should have let Michael get inside his head. Castiel knew better than anyone what that man could do. Castiel jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Gabriel looking down at him with pity in his eyes. Silently, Gabriel helped him up and brought him back to Dean's room. He didn't comment on how they shouldn't be sharing, or on Castiel's state of undress. He simply wiped away his little brother's tears and put him into bed, like he had so many times before.


	7. Chapter 7

Dean rode. It was all he could do. It was his only means of coping. When his father had hit him, when his mother had died, when he couldn't stand to be strong anymore: Dean rode. Baby knew him too well, feeling his sorrow and rage, using it to fuel her faster and faster. The wind nipped and bit at his bare skin, but he ignored it. He had to get under control. He had to remember that this wasn't a love match... at least it wasn't for Castiel obviously. 

No, that couldn't be true. Castiel looked at him so adoringly, with such devotion, there wasn't anyway he could fake that. After being so inexperienced with life? Locked up from the world? He couldn't have been putting on an act. It didn't make any sense! Why wouldn't he tell him? He had known something was off; he never should have let him... seduce him. God even thinking the words left a sour taste on his tongue. Maybe he'd somehow realized the hold he had on Dean. Maybe someone had told him, urged him to try and manipulate him. Castiel would never go along with that, would he?

He rode through the night, stopping for long bouts of silence to allow Baby rest. The sun was rising by the time he made his way back to the Castle. He was simply thinking himself in circles he needed answers. He charged toward the bedchambers, fully intent on waking Castiel up. 

"You really think it'll work that way?" It was Gabriel's voice, but it was in Michael's room. 

"Of course. Why do you think I agreed to this merger in the first place?"

"Because Novak is desperate," Gabriel said. "You know Lucifer grows stronger by the day. Without Winchester, we will be ruined."

"Yes, obviously. But Winchester will be weak after the war on Lucifer, and with any luck the crowned prince will die in the fight. Then all we need to do is wait for John Winchester to succumb to alcoholism and a Novak will sit in the throne of Winchester. It will all work out beautifully."

"You don't think Castiel will allow Sam to rule?" Gabriel asked. 

"And give up being king? He's a Novak, Gabriel. I'm surprised at you."

"And if Dean survives the war?"

Michael shrugged. "He will be a more powerful ally than anticipated. Besides you've seen the way he looks at our boy. He is putty."

Michael, of course, had known Dean was listening, having started the conversation when he saw the king entering the castle from his window. Gabriel couldn't have known, and Dean certainly didn't know either. Instead he tried to prevent himself from throwing a fist through the wall. He couldn't take the chance of seeing Castiel now. He just... he needed to get to practice. He would talk to his father about this later. 

Castiel had woken with the sun to find that Dean had not returned that night. Before the rest of the castle awoke, he took the few things he had moved to Dean's room and returned them to the guest room he had been given. He sat on the bed for a moment, the bed that he hadn't used in over a week, and he felt the tears bubbling to the surface once more. He buried his face in his knees, silent sobs shaking his body. Michael had ruined everything. No, Castiel had. He had allowed Michael to push him and manipulate him. If he could do this much with a snide comment, Castiel feared what he could do with more. He should have just told Dean. Even thinking his name caused Castiel pain. How could he possibly face the other man now? How could he fix this? Castiel sat on the bed listlessly, staring out the window, expression blank. He had completely ruined the only good thing in his life. 

"The servants said you moved back here and--" Balthazar stopped talking immediately when he saw Castiel's face. He rushed over to the bed, taking his face in his hands, forcing him to look at him. Castiel's eyes were red rimmed from crying and had dark bags underneath from how long it had actually taken him to fall asleep. His skin was pale, but overall it was the look in his eyes. A look of pure sadness and despair. "What happened, Cassie?" he murmured, all pretense gone, concern at the forefront. Castiel didn't answer, only pushed Balthazar's hands away. He could not bear to tell someone else what a fool he was. Balthazar's expression suddenly went dark. He stalked out of the room. Servants had to jump out of his way as he stormed through the halls, a man clearly on a mission. As soon as he saw Dean, his vision went red. He crashed into the slightly bigger man, pressing him up against the closest flat surface he could find, crushing Dean's throat with his forearm.

"What did you do to Castiel?" he snarled.

Dean quickly reversed it and slammed Balthazar into the wall face first. "Do not test me today, Balthazar," Dean sneered. He released Balthazar, who furiously shook out of the hold, before he turned to his men. "Laps," was all Dean said. The guards all seemed relieved to only have to do running considering how hard he had been pushing them that day. 

"I don't know," Dean said, returning to Balthazar. 

"What do you mean you don't know?" Balthazar all but sneered. "How can you not know?"

"I don't know alright?" Dean snapped. "Last night we are preparing to sleep and he tries to... well..." He cleared his throat and lowered his voice. "He seemed dead set on seducing me. I told him he didn't have to, and even went as far as to accuse you of putting him up to it."

"And you let him?"

"He seemed dead set on it, I was weak," He threw his towel. "He begged me, Balthazar. You know how I adore him I was powerless."

"So you took his virginity?" 

"What? No! Lord..." He ran his hand down his face. "It was only mouth play, but still it was his first time."

Balthazar clicked his tongue in his mouth. "Was it good?"

"Don't make me hit you, Balthazar."

"Then what's the problem? From the way he's crying I thought you hit him."

"What?" Dean said, snapping to attention. "God, no, I would never hurt him."

"Then why is he crying?"

"Perhaps it is all part of his clever little rouse to make me insane over him."

Balthazar laughed. "Castiel? A rouse? Do not be simple, old friend, it doesn't suit you." 

"I heard Michael talking," Dean said, throwing himself into a seat. "He plans on my death in the battle against Lucifer, then hopes my father will die of alcohol poisoning so that Novak may rule Winchester."

"Michael is a twat, and you have yet to meet a battle you did not come out on top of."

"I know that, but he has seen the mess Castiel makes of me. He thinks Castiel perfectly capable of manipulating me."

"Michael knows Castiel about as well as he knows you, Dean. Castiel isn't capable of that, you have my word on it."

"That's what I keep telling myself," Dean admitted with a sigh. "But what’s the other option? I could tell something was wrong last night and he just wouldn't tell me, went as far as to lie to my face. Me, Balthazar, who treasures him above all else he... he lied to me." Dean exhaled and let his head fall into his hands. "Maybe he doesn't trust me as I thought he did. I mean I had no illusions of our union finding love... but to have him not trust me..." 

"Did you ever consider that perhaps there is something he fears more than he trusts you?" Balthazar sighed, sitting down beside Dean. He ignored the strange look Dean was probably giving him and watched as the guards ran laps. 

"Michael would not have continued talking unless he wanted you to hear," Balthazar said coolly, "He is not one to have such blatant conversations without a purpose. If that is the case then I am willing to bet my manhood that Michael said something to Castiel to shake his confidence." He sighed heavily, turning to look at Dean.

"Since we were boys, I have watched Michael manipulate Castiel. There are times when he realizes it, and will fight, but there are others when he either does not notice or believes Michael to be right. If there is one thing in this world that Castiel is not capable of it is willful deception. If he lied to you, he believed he was right at the time, though judging by the state of him now, I would say he regrets that decision." He let that sink in for a moment before turning to look at the guards once more.

"He moved back to the guest room," Balthazar said as he stood, "If that does not show you how ashamed he is that he will not face you, then I don't know what will.”

"He what? Son of a bitch," He groaned. "I told him," Dean sighed, hanging his head and holding the back of his neck. "I told him he didn't have to be afraid of Michael. I told him I would stand up for him." He sighed and leaned back so he was shoulder to shoulder with Balthazar. "Is he going to move out of my room every time we fight?"

Balthazar laughed. "I doubt it. It seemed a special circumstance. The real question is: How are you going to fix it?" 

Dean exhaled, watching the soldiers run laps for a few long minutes. "Take him into town," he said finally. "For the day. I don't care how, just... keep him out of the castle until tonight. Can you do that?"

"Can I do that? Do you know who you're talking to?" He laughed and stood. "I have been stealing Castiel away from castles his entire life. I'll get it done."

Dean laughed and watched Balthazar turn to walk away before calling after him. "Don't tell him we talked," He added. 

"You've got it, majesty," he added.

"Thanks, Balthazar."

"Let's go," Balthazar said, crashing into Castiel's room for the second time that day, "I don't know what's wrong with you, but I will not allow you to sit here and wallow all day."

"Balthazar, I understand what you're trying to do but--" Castiel tried.

"No buts!" Balthazar interrupted, "You have ten minutes to make yourself presentable for the public eye before I come in and do it for you." Without waiting for a response, he left the room, shutting the door behind him. Castiel sighed. He knew that Balthazar would hold to his words, though he wondered where he had disappeared to in the first place.

"Ready?" Balthazar said ten minutes later as he opened the door without knocking. Castiel was, albeit very reluctantly, but he was ready to leave. 

"Does it matter that I do not wish to go out?" Castiel asked.

"Not at all," Balthazar said honestly, hooking their arms together as he snuck them down the servants' stairway and outside towards the town. Castiel looked as though he would rather stick pins in his eyes. 

Dean finished practice and made a stop in town for his package before heading back to the castle and enlisting the servants to help him remove everything out of both Castiel's and his room and take it to the west wing. He tried to go about it as nonchalantly as possible, but Sam, of course, wanted to help and Gabriel he managed to get rid of by saying "I thought you went to town with Castiel and Balthazar" and before Gabriel could even see what was going on, he turned on a heel and headed toward town. Getting everything into the huge room on the third floor wasn't a problem. The room was probably big enough for four people. But Dean went about organizing everything once everything had been moved.

It was an odd thing for him; he'd been living in that room in the east wing his whole life. It would probably take quite some getting used to. But Castiel had moved to a whole new country for this wedding, Dean could easily change rooms for Castiel. Besides, his father had been trying to get him to move into this new room for years saying that it was 'befitting for a king' but Dean finally had a reason to actually do it. 

There was two of everything, dressers, desks, etc. Dean filled them all up with he and Castiel's possessions, keeping all of his in one, all of Castiel's in the other. He'd left a note on Castiel's old bed (now stripped of bedding, practically an empty room) that said 'Mr. Novak, his highness and crowned prince has requested your belongings be moved to the other side of the castle on the third floor. The room at the very end.' 

Castiel would undoubtedly think it was because Dean didn't want to be near him. He thumbed the small package in his pocket over nervously as he looked out his new window. He rather liked this view. He opened the large doors that lead to a balcony and looked over it. He could see the arena plainly, and the meadow he liked to ride through that lead to the forest. Perhaps this room was perfect. Castiel could watch any goings on in the arena without having to trek out into the cold. If he would even want to. Dean leaned into his hands and rubbed his forehead. With any luck this wouldn't be a disaster. 

Balthazar dragged Castiel around town, quite literally. He was in no mood to be traipsing around town pretending that his world was not crumbling around him. Gabriel had joined them at some point, though he was far more gentle than Balthazar who as acting as his normal, brash self. This was not the first time that Gabriel had picked his brother up and wiped away his tears in the middle of the night, and he knew to tread lightly. Castiel did not take notice. He was allowing himself to be quite self-absorbed, just for today.

"I would like to return," Castiel said for what felt like the hundredth time only to be promptly ignored. 

"Would this not look perfect with his eyes?" Balthazar said to Gabriel, holding another shirt up against Castiel.

"Once again, I believe you're right," Gabriel said with an appraising nod. Balthazar had brought him into the loop enough that he knew they could not yet return to the castle, though he would not say why. 

"I do not need more clothes," Castiel sighed.

"One always needs more clothes," Balthazar scoffed, putting down the shirt to pick up another. Castiel just sighed.

It wasn't until almost three hours later that Balthazar finally let them return home. They had to call three servants to come down and carry what they had bought. Castiel parted from the group as soon as they had returned, wishing to take refuge in his room. He did not want to see anyone for the rest of the day. He pushed open his door and stopped dead in his tracks. The entire room was empty. There was no furniture, no sheets on the bed, nothing. He walked in slowly, looking around and spotted a small piece of paper sitting in the middle of his bed. Tears welled up in his eyes when he read it, his hand beginning to shake. He sucked in a sharp breath, trying to calm himself down. If this was what Dean wanted, then Castiel would do it. He wiped his eyes and bit his lip. Slowly, he made his way back into the corridor, heading towards the west wing of the castle. He stopped just short of opening the door to the room, leaning against it instead. He let his head fall into his hands as he cried softly. He couldn't believe he'd messed everything up so spectacularly. Finally, he stood again and turned, pushing the door open.

Dean had a few hours to spare so he'd brought some work and was sitting at his desk when the door opened. He stood like a shot, stumbling rather ridiculously as he made his way to the door, forgetting he still had his glasses on. 

"Hey, Cas, I... you're crying." His hands flexed and unflexed. Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe Cas didn't want him there after the fool he'd made of himself. "Please don't cry," he said softly, rubbing the pads of his fingers together nervously. "I hate to see you so sad."

"Dean!" Castiel exclaimed, completely surprised that he was here. He quickly wiped his face, trying to hide the fact that he had actually been crying even though Dean had already seen. "What're you doing here?" he asked. It wasn't until after he'd asked that he actually took a look around. There was two of almost everything, save for the large bed. "Dean?" he asked, suddenly confused.

"I figured when Balthazar told me you'd tried to move back to the guest room that... I mean... the fact that you thought about it like that was even an option told me you didn't really think of it as your room, it's was my room you were just staying in it." He gestured awkwardly around the room. "So... uh... this is our room. I moved all our belongings in here. I've never slept in here before so it'll you know... be a change for the both of us." He approached and took Castiel's hands in his. "I'm sorry I ran out last night," He said softly, kissing Castiel's knuckles. "I don't know why you didn't want to tell me what was bothering you, but... I mean... It's your business. We’re not married yet, you don't... owe me anything."

Castiel flung his arms around Dean's neck, pulling him in for a tight hug, burying his face in the crook of Dean's neck. "I'm so sorry," he murmured, "I just... I didn't want to worry you or offend you, though I fear that I had the opposite effect." 

Dean gladly wrapped Castiel in his arms and held him up against his chest. "I never want you to keep things from me," he said, kissing the side of his face. "We're in this thing together. I don't know what happened but it's nothing we can't handle." He put Castiel down so he can look at him, running his fingers along his jaw. "Don't lie to me anymore," he said, it sounded more like a plea than a demand. "Tell me you don't want to talk about it, or it isn't any or my business but just... don't lie to me. I deal with enough liars and cutthroats in my every day life." 

"I'm sorry," Castiel said, voice shaking as more tears welled up in his eyes, "I just let Michael get to me and I shouldn't have, but I swear to you that I do not regret what happened and it didn't happen because of him." He leaned into Dean's touch, eyes closing as he tried to calm himself down. Everything would be okay now. He apologized and Dean forgave him. They had a brand new room for themselves. Just like Dean said, they were in this together.

"And look," Dean said, reaching behind Castiel. "This door locks. So no one can simply barge in on us any longer," He said with a small laugh as he locked the door to demonstrate. "Speaking of which," He added, pushing Castiel up against the door and kissing him, holding his face in his hands as he did. 

Castiel responded to the kiss eagerly, hands finding their way into Dean's hair. He pulled the other closer, if that was possible, pressing their bodies together. He had been so afraid that Dean would hate him forever. He was glad to know that was not the case.

Dean broke the kiss only enough to whip his glasses off of his face and hang them on a finger as he continued to kiss him, his free hand snaking up Castiel's back to pull them closer. He pulled away after a few long moments. "Wait," he said softly, remembering what it was Castiel had said. "What is it Michael said to you?" He asked. "He has been breeding malcontent since he got here and I would very much like to know why."

Castiel bit his lip, looking away. "He was just... he was saying horrible things about you dying in battle and the king succumbing to alcohol," he said quietly, still debating on whether or not he would say more, "When I informed him that I would take an obligated place only until Sam was of age... he made a few comments that rather destroyed my confidence."

"Comments about what?" Dean asked, rather confused before the pieces all fell together. "You said you didn't do it because of him, you did it because you wanted to. It was about our sex life? What did he say?" He pushed off the door and he started to wring the earpiece of his glasses. "That intolerable prat," Dean cursed, starting to pace. "What business is it of his?" He turned back to Castiel. "Tell me what he said."

"He said you cared not for me," Castiel whispered slowly, refusing to look at Dean as he spoke, "That a man as experienced and sought after as you would not even know what to do with a caged bird like me. He said that I know nothing of the world, of the bedroom, and did I think you could possibly enjoy me as you enjoyed so many." Castiel paused, fists clenched as he continued. "He said you were playing me. Banking on my loyalty to keep me from usurping the kingdom. That it would be worth a few frustrated nights, a few slumbers unspent, unsatisfied by the likes of me." He took a deep breath before looking up at where Dean stood. "He was playing my insecurities, and I fell into his trap just like I always have. I'm sorry."

Rage didn't exactly cover the expression on Dean's face. His glasses snapped and shattered in his hand, but he didn't seem to notice. His jaw was clenched hard. His hands shivering fists at his sides, shoulders raised and tense. There were no words. 

Dean turned away and tried to collect himself. He wasn't mad at Cas, and there was nothing to be done about it. Shouting down Michael did nothing but give him exactly what he wanted. He stood there with his eyes closed, glass digging into his palms as he tried to get the anger under control. He didn't want Cas to see him turn into a monster. So he breathed, and concentrated. 

"Dean?" Castiel said softly, feeling anxious now that he could not see the other's face. He approached him slowly as one would approach a spooked animal. He made his steps obvious and made sure to get into Dean's periphery where he could see him as soon as possible. He took Dean's hand, forcing him to open his fist to see that his palm was now bleeding. Silently, he led Dean over to sit on the chair by the window so he could pick out the glass and bandage the wounds. He could feel the anger rolling off Dean and began to speak in soft, calming tones about whatever came to mind, positive that Dean probably wasn't listening.

Dean sat as Castiel saw to his hand, distracted, just listening to the sound of his voice but not what he was saying. He rested his chin in his other and as he tried to calm down. "We should to dinner," he said finally. "Get dressed. I'd rather like to see what failure looks like on Michael's face."

Castiel nodded, sealing the bandages on Dean's hand before he stood. "It is a rather rare and hilarious sight," he said with a small smile. He moved towards the dressers, pausing when he realized he didn't know where his things were. He took a guess and was proved wrong, so he opened the second one and began changing into clothes for dinner.

"What is his end game?" Dean said, more to himself as he looked out the window. "What possible outcome could he be hoping for? If he wanted to cancel the merger, he would simply need to say so. It's something worse than that. He is trying to drive a wedge between us for some reason. He obviously never intended for us to get along much less care for each other." He drummed his fingers on his chin. What could it be? He turned around and decided to think more on it later as he stood. "Well, it doesn't matter now," he said, kissing Castiel softly on his cheekbone. "It won't work. There is nothing he could say or do to get me not to care for you. I hope you realize that, now."

"I will not pretend to know the inner workings of Michael's mind," Castiel answered, "But I am forever sorry for doubting you and doubting myself. Had I known it would have caused such grief, I never would have done it." He leaned up to kiss Dean chastely on the lips, pulling away after barely even a second. He brushed his fingers along Dean's jaw, simply looking up at him. Castiel never knew that he would be so blessed.

Dean kissed him again unable to help himself. "The worst thing you can do with a man like Michael, is let him know he's gotten to you, as you well know." He kissed his jaw. "Come, I will show hi how little power he has over you," he said, opening the door and leading him out.

Castiel followed Dean out, a shy smile on his face. His mood had done a complete one eighty. He took note of the look of surprise on Gabriel's face and the smug smirk on Balthazar's as they sat down.

Dean and Balthazar shared a discrete fist bump as they sat down. When Michael and John entered, Dean made a show of kissing Castiel on his cheekbones several times until he could feel the heat rising in his face. Nothing seemed to get under Michael skin quite like Dean making his little brother blush. Michael immediately ignored whatever John was saying and took a seat at the table rather stiffly. 

"I didn't think you'd be joining us," Michael said. "The gossip amongst the servants said that Castiel was moving out of your room."

"And so he was," Dean said, linking his fingers in Castiel’s so he could kiss the back of his knuckles. "I thought it might be appropriate for us both to move into a room with a little more space for us to... Get comfortable?" He chuckled with a wicked grin.

Balthazar covered his mouth with a napkin to keep from laughing.

As hard as he tried, Michael could not stop himself from reacting to the implication. His mouth went small and tight, eyes narrowed into slits. It was a face like Castiel had never before seen on his older brother. It was both funny as terrifying, because Michael being unable to suppress his emotions meant that he was feeling something rather strongly.

"I don't find that appropriate at all," Michael commented lightly, he and Dean suddenly caught in some kind of death staring match. And here was Castiel, still unable to rid his face of the blush Dean had caused. Still, he held onto Dean's hand tightly, a show of solidarity under Michael's gaze. 

"Is this really something to be discussed over dinner?" Gabriel asked, looking between the two men, "It seems more of a discussion for private quarters." It did not seem as though anyone had heard him. As much as he wished for Castiel to be happy, Gabriel wasn't exactly looking for a brawl over dinner. 

"Ah, yes I suppose you're right, Gabriel." Dean said, though he kissed Castiel’s fingers one last time before they began to be served. "Apologies, you know how free us Winchesters are with our affections."

"It is quite the culture shock to those unfamiliar with it, I imagine," John offered with a laugh. "Speaking of which have you prepared yourself for the tournament tomorrow, Dean?"

"Oh that's right it's about that time again isn't it?" Balthazar chimed. "I do so love that tournament." 

"I didn't think I would be participating, father. The wedding is in three days. It hardly seems appropriate." He turned to Castiel when he looked confused. "The most noble blooded soldiers compete for kisses from the sons and daughters of the nobility. It's a tradition that is supposed to lead to noble weddings and noble births but now is more witnessed for the sport of it." 

"And Dean has won nine years running." Balthazar added. 

"Yes but with my impending nuptials it hardly seems like I should still compete."

"Nonsense," john said. "You will still be technically single as of tomorrow you should compete. Give the soldiers one last chance to beat you." 

"You could always throw the fight to give them a chance." Gabriel offered. 

"I have far too much honor for that."

"Don't you mean pride?" Balthazar chimed.

"Isn't that what I said?" Dean joked. 

"You never know Winchester," Michael said coolly. "This may be your last chance to freely kiss a pretty woman in public without fear of repercussion." 

"Father, if you so wish it, I will compete, and I will win," he turned his eyes back to Michael. "And I will sooner forfeit the prize. Mark my words. Dean Winchester has already kissed his last pretty woman."

"How sweet," Michael sniffed. It was easily to tell by his tone that he found the entire discussion rather repulsive. Dinner conversation continued, but Michael refrained from speaking, something that made Castiel very uneasy. His older brother was never without something to say, and now he was sitting in complete silence as everyone engaged around him. Castiel's leg began jittering anxiously, a nervous tic that rarely showed itself unless Castiel felt as though he was under extreme stress. It wasn't until there was a lull in conversation that Michael decided to strike.

"My little brother can sire you no heir," Michael said breezily, as if it were a passing comment, "Have you yet chosen someone who will?" Castiel's entire body went rigid and his cheeks flamed. It was a subject that he and Dean had never discussed but one that Castiel had thought on greatly. He was actually unsure of the answer, as he knew every kingdom did need an heir. He would not fault Dean for not wanting to let the dynasty end. The entire table was dead silent as they waited for Dean's response, not even the servants making a move. 

"Of course," Dean said, with only a moment of hesitation that was due only to the surprise of the subject matter and not reaching for an answer last minute. He continued to eat, though he took his hand out of Castiel's under the table to slide his hand onto his bouncing knee to stop its jittering. He hoped it was comforting. 

"Well, don't leave us in the dark," Michael said stiffly, aggravated by Dean not continuing. "With whom will you sire an heir?" 

Dean looked up from his meal as if the question confused him. "Oh, me? I won't."

"What?"

"I won't be siring Winchester's heir," he said simply. "My heir is Sam. It fell on me to marry for politics, I'm afraid it will fall on Sam to sire a ruler." He laughed a little at the sour look on Michael's face. "I may be a lot of things, majesty, but unfaithful and undevoted will never ever be among them." He turned to Cas and squeezed his leg in his hand. 

If there was one thing that Michael hated, it was to be made a fool as he just was, but Castiel would be lying if he said he noticed. His heart soared at Dean's words, never having really considered the outcome but glad that Dean had made this as his decision. Castiel's smile was small and reserved, but his eyes danced with happiness. He placed his hand over Dean's on his leg, squeezing lightly. 

"So Sam!" Gabriel said loudly, turning towards the younger prince, wanting to take away the tense air seeping into the room from Michael, "Do you have any pretty ladies that have caught your eye? A special someone that you wouldn't mind spending the rest of your life with?" Sam blushed and mumbled something under his breath. Balthazar, who was sitting closest to him, could just barely make out a few words. 

"A Lady Jessica," he announced to the table with a smile. Sam looked at him with a scandalized expression on his face before he punched Balthazar in the arm. Most of the table laughed.

"In a few years it will be you winning tournaments, Sammy," Dean said, lifting Castiel's hand again so he could kiss it. "And wooing whoever you damn well please." 

Castiel could almost feel Michael's gaze burning into the side of his skull, disapproval and anger radiating from him. Before he could change his mind, Castiel brought Dean's hand to his own lips and placed a soft kiss against the skin. He had never done something so bold and, in Novak, crude in front of his brothers, but it was enough to have Michael squeeze his glass to the point of breaking. It seemed that Castiel returning Dean's affections was even less acceptable than Dean bestowing them in the first place. 

"My goodness, Majesty," Dean teased, victory in his eyes as he moved his hand from Castiel's lips to hold him by the back of his neck. "That's the second glass you've broken in a few days, is that a nervous compulsion of yours? I broke my glasses earlier, damned things cut my hand too." He held up his free hand to show the bandages over his palm. "Cas fixed me right up. Marrying alchemists seem to have its advantages."

Michael hoarsely excused himself from dinner and Dean couldn't help but laugh a little bit. 

The rest of dinner went rather smoothly without Michael's presence there to throw a wrench in it. If Gabriel was bothered by Castiel's little show, he did not express it. In truth, it was merely surprising to him. He had been waiting years for Castiel to finally snap and explode in Michael's face. Though this wasn't exactly an explosion, it had been a small step and Gabriel was proud of his little brother. 

"So," Gabriel said jovially, "Anyone know what they're serving for dessert?"

"I know what I'm having," Dean said under his breath so only Castiel could hear, tracing his fingers up Castiel's hand, not looking at him, but clearly talking to him. 

Gabriel and Balthazar ribbed Sam about Jessica while the cake was served, and Dean and Cas seemed to have a small little aura surrounding them. Not really listening to what everyone else was saying, too busy concentrating on each other, not saying anything, just being acutely aware of the other's presence. 

Castiel's face burned, but he smiled shyly down into his lap. He barely even registered that there were other people at the table. All of his senses seemed to zoom in on Dean. His heart raced and his stomach fluttered happily. He ate a bite or two of his cake, not really very hungry anymore. However, he did not want to excuse himself until Dean was ready to leave as well.

"I'm going to take Sam to bed," he said, leaning in to kiss his jaw line. "I'll meet you upstairs." before he could really even finish the sentence, Sam had practically climbed into Dean's lap. 

"I want Cas to tuck me in," Sam said decidedly. 

Dean looked over at Cas, his eyebrows raising in silent question as if wondering if he was okay with that. 

Castiel was surprised by the request, though not really adverse to it.

"I warn you, I've never done that for anyone before," he told Sam seriously, "I may not be very good at it."

Dean chuckled, "It's not an audition," he said, motioning his head toward Sam. "Go ahead. I'll meet you upstairs." 

"Come on," Sam said, tugging on Castiel's hand. "You don't have to tell me a story or anything." 

Castiel followed Sam dutifully, giving Dean one last backwards glance. He wondered why Sam suddenly wanted Castiel to put him to bed in place of his older brother. 

"I'm not a kid anymore," Sam said crawling onto his giant bed, looking rather childish as he did. "I don't need Dean to tuck me in every night anymore. But for a long time ... he wants to, you know? I feel like he needs to tuck me in just to make sure he knows that I know that he loves me."

"It is a very unique relationship you have with your brother," Castiel said with a smile, sitting on the edge of the bed, "The love between you is easy to see and he never wants you to forget that he cares. I will admit, I am jealous. Putting Michael aside, even Gabriel and I do not have such an intense connection to each other."

"Dean takes abuse so I don't have to," Sam said, a little sadly. He reached out and grabbed for Castiel's hand. "He never forgets," Sam said with a grin. "And he forgets when you're around and... I just wanted you to know that I'm glad someone makes him forget."

"I'm very glad to hear that from you," Castiel said honestly. Hearing from his own mouth that Sam truly accepted him as being with his older brother gave Castiel a feeling like no other. If there was anyone's opinion that mattered the most to Dean, it was Sam's.

"Just don't make him cry anymore," he said softly, like a request. "I've never seen Dean cry in my life except when you were hurt and ... just... we care about you now. We're family. Remember that when everything sucks."

"I promise you, hurting Dean in any way will never be my intention," Castiel said seriously, "And I am proud to be a part of your family." He ran a soft hand through Sam's hair before standing up. "Be sure to sleep well so that we may watch the tournament together," he said with a smile as he moved to leave the room.

\--

"Well look at you," Balthazar said, looking at Dean who still seemed like he was lost in his thoughts. "True love on an arranged marriage. How very... tripe."

"Eat me, Balthazar," Dean said with a laugh. "I'm going to bed to await my tripe husband to be." 

"You've got it bad, Winchester," Balthazar called. 

"And it feels so good," Dean finished as he disappeared up the stairs. He didn't know why Sam wanted Castiel to tuck him in that night, but he couldn't stop grinning because of it.

\--

Castiel smiled to himself as he walked through the corridors, heading to he and Dean's new room. There had been a few initial bumps in the road, but now it seemed as though there was naught but clear skies ahead of them. The wedding was in less than a week. All they had to do now was not trip at the finish line. He pushed open the door of their room, smile still in place.

"Not as hard as it sounds, is it?" Dean said with a grin, taking the buttons off his sleeves off as he started getting ready for bed. "I assume by that adorable grin on your face that it went okay?"

Castiel blushed but nodded. "It was nice to talk with Sam again," he said as he moved towards his own dresser to begin undoing the buttons of his shirt, "We have not spent much time together recently, though we both plan on watching you in the tournament tomorrow."

"Ah yes, my last tournament," Dean said with what sounded like a sad sigh. "What a surprise it will be when I don't bestow one of the many Maiden's with my yearly kiss. Some women wait all year to be chosen. How disappointed they will be." He laughed a little and sat on the edge of his bed. "What a weird feeling."

"What? To have women swoon over you?" Castiel teased, "I would have assumed that you were quite used to it by now." He came to sit beside Dean on the bed, giving his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"Hah, no. I'm quite used to that, I'm afraid." He sighed. "My last tournament. It's so... final... I mean... It's what I do, you know? It's who I am. I'm... the legend... the general... they're my men they count on me to be the best." He sighed. 

"So give them a tournament they will never forget," Castiel said, kissing Dean's jaw, "Give them something they will tell their grandchildren about. You're already a legend. Become a legacy. I know you can."

"I will do what I can," he said, turning to look over at Castiel. "It's just an odd feeling to have something else to look forward to."

Castiel smiled that shy smile, cheeks reddening as he looked back at Dean. "Yes, I hear wedding food is quite delicious," he joked, nudging Dean's cheek with his nose as he kissed it.

"The food isn't exactly what I'm looking forward to," He said, reaching to take Castiel’s chin on his knuckles so he could kiss him. "And I am looking forward to it." 

"I am too," Castiel whispered against Dean's lips, eyes having opened to flicker over the other's face. Those three words that Castiel promised himself he would not yet utter bubbled up in his throat and he pressed his lips to Dean's to silence them.

Dean kissed him gladly, moving his fingers along his jaw as their lips connected. "It's funny isn't it," he said with a laugh. "That we ended up here." 

"It's definitely something I never expected," Castiel answered with a chuckle, "I doubt anyone would have expected it."

"I have half a mind to think that Balthazar was secretly plotting it," he said with a chuckle. "He's been instrumental to my confidence."

"Sounds like something he would do," Castiel laughed, "Though the thought that he might actually have the ability to accomplish it is a little disconcerting."

"His assistance was quite useful," he said with a laugh. "I needed wooing advice. It's not exactly my area." 

"I'm sure wooing is a foreign concept to the legendary Dean," Castiel said with a teasing smile, "What advice did he give you?"

"Don't laugh," Dean defended. "Wooing is foreign to me. Seducing..." He kissed his throat. "I'm an expert at seduction. But wooing. Wooing wasn't something to concern myself with until I had... what was it? A caged bird?" He kissed Castiel's throat again, this time a little more open. "You were quite intimidating to me."

Castiel's eyes fluttered closed and he tilted his head back without even realizing it. The effect Dean had on him was instantaneous. "I was intimidating to you?" Castiel said, embarrassed by how breathless he already sounded, disbelief clear in his voice.

"Immensely," he breathed against his throat, running his tongue along Castiel's collarbone. 

"H-How is th-that p-possible?" Castiel stammered, finding it hard to speak, eyes still shut. He didn't notice himself shifting subtly closer.

"The first time I saw you smile," he said, moving his mouth down Castiel's chest slowly as his spoke. "Not that smile you put on for me at the party, but when we galloped through that grass for the first time, and you laughed that laugh of yours." He tongued over Castiel's nipple as he continued to unbutton his shirt with one hand. "I knew I was gone." 

Castiel let out a little whimper, biting down hard on his bottom lip. "When... when you g-gave me a nickn-name," he stuttered, a little surprised he was able to do so, "That was the-the moment I kn-knew for sure."

"Knew what, Cas?" He said, easing him onto his back to kiss his fantastic hipbones. 

"That I would end up loving you," Castiel breathed without thinking. When his words finally registered in his brain, he froze, body tensed as he waited for Dean's reaction.

Dean froze as well, swallowing and looking up to Castiel's face, almost feeling the panic radiating out of Castiel. He had to think quickly. He cleared his throat and rose up to be eye level with Castiel. He kissed him, he didn't know what else to do. Dean never said he loved anyone but Sam. Not out loud. Not even his mother. He just... wasn't ready for that. But he didn't want Castiel to think the sentiment was unwelcome. 

Castiel kissed Dean back, but he could slowly feel his heart sinking in regret. He had known it wasn't time. He had swallowed those words a thousand times before, knowing that he would be able to feel it when they were both ready to hear them. Things had just smoothed out again, and Castiel just had to screw them up again. Part of him wanted to apologize, but he didn't want Dean to think that he regretted the feeling. Castiel only regretted saying them before it was time.

"It's okay," Dean breathed against his mouth. "Don't... don't do that," He kissed him again, small desperate kisses. "Don't pull away from me, Cas, don't... I can feel you reeling; I can feel your regret... don't. Just... don't there's nothing... I've been waiting too long to hear you say it for you to pull away from me now." 

"It was too early to say it," Castiel disagreed softly, returning the kisses as quickly as Dean gave them, "That does not change what I feel, but I should have waited."

"What did I tell you?" He said, taking his face in both his hands. "Not hours ago. I never want you to hide things from me. Ever." He kissed him again. "I don't care what they are." He spoke the words against kisses. Desperately. "It's not too early," he said. "It's perfect. You're perfect." He dove his tongue down into Castiel's mouth, moving over him and pressing their chests together. He couldn't say the words, not yet, but he could express it elsewhere, and he tried. Lord, he tried. 

Castiel's hands tangled in Dean's hair as he pressed up against the other man, trying to bring them as close together as possible. He wound their legs together, not wanting even an inch of their bodies not to be touching. He knew that for whatever reason, Dean could not return his sentiment. Not verbally. But his kiss spoke volumes.

Dean shrugged out of his shirt and quickly, like a boy with no experience, fumbled around with Castiel's pants trying to shrug him out of them. Every cell in Dean was vibrating, demanding that he take Castiel and mark him as his and ruin him for anyone else's touch. He kicked out of his pants and moved them both into the center of the bed and rolled his hips down into Castiel's groaning into the fiery kiss as Castiel clung around his neck, moving their bodies together. 

Dean’s lips swallowed Castiel’s loud moans. He hadn't been expecting the ferocity and intensity with which Dean was coming after him tonight. He kept up as well as he could, moving as Dean did. He gripped the other's body tightly, needing some kind of anchor to keep himself grounded, to remind himself that this was real.

Dean raked his fingers through Castiel's hair, down his body, rocked their bodies together. He knew he couldn't take him. He knew he wasn't ready. But, god, how he wanted to. He held them together, pushing together at the groin and rolling along, moaning into his mouth as the friction sent electricity through his body. 

Castiel felt adrenaline filling his body, instinct taking over as his primary decision maker. He was vaguely conscious of his nails scratching up Dean's back. He sort of registered his legs parting slightly for Dean. Mostly though, he felt Dean's heated body moving against his own, the passion spilling from his lips.

The sounds coming from Dean started to become rather animal in nature, sneering as he exhaled, almost growled. It wasn't enough. He wanted more. Dean groaned against the sensation of Castiel's nails in his back, arched under his touch. Goddamn him he was losing control, but he wasn't stopping himself either. He recognized that he needed to, but a primitive part of his brain wasn't allowing it. "Cas," He said, his brain needing to explain, needing to warn him, needing for something to happen before he did something stupid, but all he could think about was the sensation of their bodies, the heat of his breath. He was lost and he knew it. 

Castiel lost control of his body. He pushed up against Dean violently, legs spread, hands gripping, nails scratching. His head was thrown back in ecstasy, sounds escaping his throat uninhibited. Low moans and high pitches whines filled the room as Castiel moved frantically, urging Dean on without words.

Dean couldn't believe his eyes. Cas was filled with a wild ecstasy that spurred something in Dean. He reached down to wrap his hand around their erections, pressing them together to increase the friction as they moved. For the first time in years Dean was having trouble holding on. The sight of Castiel in such an animal state, the lines of his throat, the moans of uninhibited pleasure, it was a whole new level for Dean.

He looked down to watch as he rocked between Castiel’s spread legs, desperately wanting to penetrate him but knowing damn well he couldn't. The hand In Castiel’s hair tightened. He ground his teeth in his mouth as he fought his instincts. Instead he listened to Castiel’s voice calling his name as their bodies moved together. 

"Unh... C-Cas...god." He moaned turning to press his lips into Castiel’s jaw. "I... I'm yours Castiel... Oh god I want to possess every part of you... Cas please...please say it again... I need ... to hear it." His hips started to move in frantic thrusts, he was as desperate as he'd ever been.

"I love you," Castiel moaned, "I love you so much it scares me. More than I thought I could ever love another person." It was as if his mouth had disconnected from his brain and was letting loose all of the things he had been keeping bottled up inside for the past few days.

Dean moaned with the words, small surprised groans that came out with his breathing. He tossed his head back as the tension coiled in his abdomen. "Cas I... I'm... Oh my god, oh my god," Dean came without thinking, unable to fight it any further, Castiel's name tearing from his throat like splintering wood. 

The moment Castiel felt Dean's come against his lower body, he let go without even thinking. Dean's name was torn from his throat, pleasure rippling through his body.

Dean's body quaked as he stroked he and Castiel through their orgasms, watching the ecstasy roll through Castiel's face. His jaw clenching as strangled moans leaked out through his teeth. "God," He breathed, once they both laid there slain, Dean rolled onto his back to be shoulder to shoulder with Cas, one hand on his chest as he tried to catch his breath. "You... I can't even... you don't..." he didn't know what he was trying to say, he just felt like he needed to say something. 

"Yeah," Castiel agreed, not even sure if he had said that out loud or if it was in his head. His chest heaved as he tried to fill his lungs with oxygen once more. There was something different about this time. Some unspoken line that hadn't yet been crossed but was close to the breaking point. Castiel knew that all that they had done so far was technically a prelude to something very different. Something more personal, more intimate, more instinctual. Part of Castiel wanted to rush forward, but something held him back.

Dean put the heels of his hands over his eyes, trying to calm the reeling in his brain. That was dangerous... he had become dangerous. He was walking a very fine line and he didn't know how many times he'd be able to hold himself back before he shattered Castiel's trust forever. "I think... I think we should... stop... for a while..." He sat up on his elbows to look over at Cas. "The wedding is in three days I think... we should... slow down." He swallowed. He leaned down and nuzzled his face against Castiel's. "You are a very dangerous impediment to my self control and better judgment."

"You know, tradition in Novak dictates that the intended do not even lay eyes on each other for a week before the ceremony," Castiel said with a small breathless laugh. He couldn't pretend that he wasn't disappointed by Dean's words, but he completely understood. They needed to take a step back and calm themselves down a little. Castiel didn't want to take a step he wasn't ready for just because his body felt the need. He knew Dean was right.

"I would suffer withdrawal," he said with a breathless laugh, kissing his jaw line. "I can barely make it through practice without daydreaming about you." He kissed him again. "I just..." He leaned up to look down into Castiel's face. "I would never forgive myself if I lost my head and made you suffer in anyway." He reached a hand to run his knuckles down the side of his face. "God," he whispered. "I don't know what I would do if I somehow betrayed the trust you've put in me. I promised you we would go slow, I promised I would never do anything that made you uncomfortable." He exhaled through his nose, and rested his forehead on Castiel's. "I never want to hurt you."

"And you haven't," Castiel said with a soft smile, "And I highly doubt you ever will. But we should probably relax a little bit. We have to save something for the big day." He laughed a little, trying to show that he was joking around, but only slightly. He had been thinking more and more about the Winchester way to celebrate the marriage ceremony. In Novak, the couple would spend the night of the wedding with their families, sort of saying goodbye before moving on into their new life with their spouse. The more Castiel thought about having sex with Dean, the more he was unsure of what to do. He wanted to, but he didn't. He should, but he shouldn't. Maybe a few days of pulling back would give him a chance to figure it out.

Dean laughed and kissed Castiel sweetly, closing his eyes and relishing in his scent for a long moment. "I literally cannot get enough of you," he said softly before sitting up. He had a big day tomorrow; he had to get to sleep. He stood up on shaky legs before peeling the covers back and climbing in with Cas, pulling him into his chest and nuzzling into the top of his head. "Three days," he said softly, kissing the top of Castiel's head. "I will be counting the minutes."

"And I shall count the seconds," Castiel murmured, snuggling in closer to Dean as his eyes fluttered closed. He could already feel that this would be another exhausted night where he would not wake once. Dean seemed to have that effect on him. The last thought Castiel remembered was that he got to spend the rest of his life with someone so amazing.

Dean slept dreamlessly, waking only when the sunlight began creeping in from the balcony window. He blinked his eyes open to the back of Castiel's neck, a grin stretching across his face that he couldn't stop if he tried. He nuzzled into the back of his head, kissing him several times to wake him. "Cas," he tried, wanting to wake him before he left. "How am I supposed to win a tournament without a good luck kiss?"

Castiel groaned. He just hated waking up, no matter what time it was. He reached out blindly, not even opening his eyes. He managed to find Dean's face and grabbed him by the back of his head, pulling him down for an intense kiss, despite the fact that he was still mostly asleep. "Good luck," he murmured against Dean's lips before letting his arms drop back down as he slumped into the pillows. He would get up soon enough.

Dean laughed. "You are not good at mornings," he said, kissing him again. He got out of bed and showered before heading down toward the arena. He wanted to warm up before the crowd started showing up. 

It took Castiel another hour to finally pull himself out of bed. He bathed and shaved before putting on his clothes for the day. He was excited to see Dean in the tournament, but he was also a little nervous. He wanted Dean to do well, but he was afraid of him getting hurt. Castiel had gotten his fill of injuries. He met Sam in the dining room, talking over breakfast before the two of them headed down to the arena together.

"Where's your flower?" Sam asked, tilting his head confused as he walked hand in hand with Castiel. 

"I was not informed that one was required of me," Castiel answered, eyes scanning to try and find Dean.

"Cas," Sam said seriously. "If you don't have a flower, you won't be allowed to win the kiss! That's how it works. When the tournament is over everyone with a flower stands at the wall that's how the winner knows who is offering a kiss. They take the flower and kiss the person they took it from. Do you want Dean to have to kiss some... girl?" He scoffed. "I'll be right back. Don't... don't let anyone take my seat!"

Castiel watched Sam run off with a fond shake of his head. He was honored that Sam was so worried about Dean bestowing a kiss on anyone but him. He saved his seat, only having to shoo off Balthazar who then sat a seat in front of him with a bit of a grin. 

Sam came back panting with an orchid he plucked from the royal garden and handed it to Cas before the horns sounded. Sam pumped a fist, excited he hadn’t missed anything.

The gladiators all came out. A few women sprinkled into the mix, but mostly men from all over the four corners. There were to be three categories, per usual, but this time they were jousting, on foot combat, and agility. Agility would be first since it took the most time to set up the agility course. They would go in groups of three and the winner from every group would move on to the next round. Dean, as always, was forced to wait until last, as the reigning champion he received the biggest handicap. 

Dean joked and tussled with a few of the other competitors, scanning through the crowd and trying to find Sam and Cas but unable to find them right away. Mostly all the men were shirtless though Dean wore a green tunic and brown pants for the agility course. He wasn't looking forward to having to put the helmet and armor on that screwed up his mobility in the matches to come, so for now he stood and simply took in the sights. It was Sam's flailing that caught his eye up in the stands and Dean grinned as they got ready for the first rounds, pointing up at them to let them know he found them. Benny nudged him with an elbow, and Dean laughed, patting him on the back. 

Castiel looked down at the flower, a small smile coming onto his face. Dean had bought him a similar orchid the day they had gone into town for breakfast with Sam and Balthazar. He looked down at the arena, trying to pay attention to the winners from each group, but he always found his eyes straying back to Dean. He was actually a little nervous. It had suddenly occurred to him that if Dean won and Castiel really did go to stand up at the wall, it would mean that Dean would be kissing him in public. As far as they may have gone in the privacy of their own bedroom, Castiel still was nervous about the idea of public affection. His little kiss to Dean's hand at dinner had really been the most he had ever done. 

When it was finally Dean's turn he was up with one of his own men and someone from Whiterun, the country to the south. The crowd was roaring as the three of them took their stances on the platform. When the gun sounded, the foreigner and soldier took off, but Dean stayed on the platform, stretching his arms out. 

"GOOO!!" Sam screamed, a smile on his face. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Dean located Sam and Cas again before grinning and tossing Cas a wink and taking off. He easily caught up, completing the obstacles almost twice as fast as the people ahead of him. Swinging across ropes, climbing over walls, rolling along bridges and jumping over the gaps. By the time he reached the platform he turned to wait for the other two competitors, the guard tackled Dean good naturedly, punching him in the arm for showing off. Dean laughed and the crowd laughed along with them. 

Castiel couldn't help but laugh as he watched Dean. His ability was truly impressive, like no one Castiel had ever seen. He stood next to Sam who was jumping and cheering wildly. He clapped loudly, a smile stretching across his face as he looked down at Dean. No wonder he wasn't worried. He was clearly the most able warrior competing.

The jousting tournament would leave the top ten competitors for the combat round. The knights were announced as they came out, and when it was Dean's turn, of course, the crowd erupted. They were a sight to behold, Dean's massive horse, prepared for war, covered in armor. Dean was also armored, though he didn't wear a full helmet like most did. It impaired his vision and he couldn't have that. Baby danced anxiously at the starting point, itching for action. Dean laughed and patted her neck before reaching for his lance and settling it against his side. 

The first few people Dean went up against flinched and fell away at the last minute, making it all too easy for Dean to unhorse them. He was intimidating to even the best of jousters. Last year people had petitioned to make him unable to use Baby but it was overruled considering 'horses didn't make jousters, jousters did'. It wasn't until his final round that a jouster from Cambridge, known only as Rapier, that Dean met with a jouster who not only didn't flinch, but cheated. The lance was tipped, meaning that the breakaway point on the top wasn't dull, but carved to a point, and it embedded into Dean's ribs. The crowd let a sympathetic 'Ooh' as both jousters earned a point for hitting each other. Dean dropped his lance and reached for the large wood shard hanging out of his chest and ripped it out of his flesh. An officiator took the tipped lance from Dean and asked him if he wanted the offending knight to be disqualified. Dean ripped his helmet off, groaning against the pain as he bled down his side. 

"No," Dean said, shaking his head. "Don't give him the satisfaction. Let me unhorse him." 

Castiel was out of his seat without even realizing it the second he saw that Dean had not only been hit, but was bleeding. He moved to leave the stands and make his way down to Dean when someone grabbed his wrist.

"Don't go down," Sam insisted, worry clear in his eyes, "We can't. Not unless Dean forfeits or has the rider disqualified."

"I can't just sit here," Castiel said with a shake of his head.

"You have to," Sam said, pulling him back, "Look, they're already going again."

"No," Castiel breathed with wide eyes. Sam was able to push him back into his seat as Castiel's eyes never wavered from the joust. If the other ride had a second rigged lance and Dean got hit a second time in a more critical place, he could be fatally injured. 

Dean tried to put his gauntlet back on and when the officiator handed him back his helmet he shook his head. "I need my line of sight," he said. 

"Sir, you can't joust without your helmet, you'll be killed!"

"I won't be able to joust with it on. My mobility is limited I need to be able to turn my head." 

The officiator looked over to the other assistant who shrugged. 

"Lance," Dean insisted, holding his hand out. When the assistant hesitated, Dean exhaled. "Come on, Garth. Give it to me."

The wiry man shook his head. "This isn't a good idea, mark my words."

"Consider them marked," Dean said, taking the lance under his arm and forcing a breath out through his teeth. Baby stamped her feet anxiously. Dean tried to sooth her. He didn't look at Cas. He didn't want to see the worry in his face; it would make him second-guess himself. 

The gun sounded and Baby shot into motion, able to see every angle of the fight. Without the helmet he was able to easily dodge the others lance before plunging it into the other's helmet, sending him ass-over-tea-kettle spiraling into the dirt. Dean dropped his lance as soon as he made the hit, coming to a stop near his team and quickly sliding from his horse and collapsing onto his back. Benny and a few others scrambled to get him out of his armor and while the crowd began cheering when the knight had flown from the back of his horse, they grew gravely silent as people began to work around Dean. The officiator announced Dean the victor and the end of the jousting competition, which gave Dean time to get medical attention and rest before the combat portion of the tournament. 

"Go," Sam said, nudging Castiel in the arm. "Tell them who you are. They'll let you see him."

Castiel ran from the stands, dodging people and chairs that were in his way. It took way too long for him to finally make it down to the tents where the knights got ready for each portion of the tournament. He spotted the large blue medical tent and ran towards it, slowly to a walk once he got there. He moved to enter the tent only to have two beefy arms block his way. 

"State your business," one of them demanded. 

"I am Castiel of Novak and I am here to see my betrothed," he said quickly, panting slightly from his exertion. He was let in without delay and Castiel immediately zoomed to Dean's side. 

"Where does it hurt? Is there something I can do to help? You're not going to compete in the rest of the tournament, are you? God, I was so worried," Castiel spit out in a rush, barely able to keep himself from physically checking Dean himself.

"Hey, Cas," Dean said, his teeth and lips stained with blood. "It hurts right in this general area," he said, motioning to the bloody gash leaking through the bandages before laughing. Laughing made him wince. Wincing made him laugh again. He looked up at Cas and reached for his hand. "I'm okay, Cas. And if you know me at all you know I'm not going to forfeit." He squeezed his hand. "I've got an hour before they're ready for me, I'll be okay, Cas."

Castiel pressed his forehead against Dean's before placing a soft kiss against his bloodstained lips. Michael would kill him without hesitation if he knew what Castiel was thinking just then. However, if Dean insisted on competing in the rest of the tournament, Castiel couldn't allow him to play handicapped when there was something he could do. 

"Can you clear everyone who is able to leave from the tent?" he asked quietly. It had been a long time since he'd performed true healing alchemy, but it was all he could do without other materials. It was often crude, and often time left scarring. "There's something I can do to help."

"Don't even think about it," Dean said, shaking his head. "I don't know much about..." he didn't say the word because there was people around. "Just trust me, I'm going to be fine. Thousands of people saw me pull that lance from my ribs, Cas. If I am not wounded for the tournament they will know something is up and Michael will know you did something. They said it's not that deep; it's the rib fracture that hurts the most. But I'll be okay. I've found with worse in the past... just trust me on this. Please." He kissed his knuckles. "Besides, after what I plan to do, Michael isn't going to need another reason to want me dead."

"I can't let you just play with a disadvantage," Castiel disagreed. It took a moment before the rest of Dean's words caught up with him and Castiel blushed furiously. He bit his lip, trying to keep the smile from stretching too far across his face. He looked up at Dean a bit shyly. "Sam brought me a flower for if you win," he said softly, the smile still on his face, "He seemed appalled by the idea that you would kiss anyone but me, especially a girl."

"The idea appalls me as well," Dean said, wincing as he leaned up to kiss him again. "You told me to give them a tournament they'll never forget. Well, I'm going to win for you, and I'm gonna do it with a chest wound." He kissed Castiel's knuckles and smiled. "It takes more than a cheater and a prick in the ribs to take me out, Cas." 

"Please be careful," Castiel requested quietly, "You have a wedding to attend." If it were up to him, Dean wouldn't be competing, but it was not his choice. He had faith that Dean would pull through. He always seemed to manage somehow, if any of the stories were anything to go by. 

"I will take a knee before I do something to jeopardize that, you have my word on it," He kissed his knuckles again. "Go back to Sam. I have a tournament to win." 

Castiel kissed Dean's cheek before standing to leave the tent and report back to Sam and Balthazar. They were all a tad worried, but they tried not to show it as the next portion was announced. 

Dean had his bandages changed again so they weren't sopping for the fight. His mobility was a little limited but he'd be okay. He wore armor over his left arm and shoulder, leather on the other side for mobility. He usually didn't wear a helmet but with his wound he needed the extra protection. 

"There will always be three people fighting," Sam explained. "Dean is reigning champion so he's one of the first three which mean's he'll have to fight for the longest. It's the handicap of being champion. So every time he manages to take someone down, one of the other final ten will come in until only one stands." 

Dean came out into the arena, spinning a sword in each hand as he prepared. Two other people coming in with him. He was easy to pick out as he towered over his other competitors. Oh yeah, and he was bleeding. He rolled out his shoulder in an attempt to ease the pain in his side. The rest of the competitors lined up preparing to make an entrance. Dean picked out Sam, Cas, and Balthazar again, pointing his sword at them as they prepared for the fight to start. 

Castiel's leg jiggled nervously as he looked down into the arena. He knew that there was no way he would calm down until Dean was out of harm's way. Sam took his hand with a reassuring smile.

"Everything's going to be fine," he said confidently, eyes straying to the arena, "Dean is always fine."

"Of course," Castiel said with a nod, trying very hard to believe Sam's words, "Of course he will." He regretted not healing Dean, the crowd and Michael be damned. 

"This is Dean we're talking about!" Balthazar said with a smile, "He'll wipe them out and then stick his tongue down your throat." Castiel's face went bright red. Before he could chastise his friend, the horn blew and the last portion of the tournament began.

Of course the two men immediately concentrated on Dean, turning toward him. Dean ducked and they hit each other. He hooked one sword under one of the opponent's legs and pulled so he fell flat on his back then spun to ram the butt of his blade into the others helmet. Then he kicked the other one in the head, rendering them both unconscious in a matter of seconds. 

Dean spun his blades in his hands like nothing had happened as two more came in. These two were a little more prepared and Dean had to dance a little, dodging and ducking and diving out of the way, moving like liquid. It took him a few minutes to knock one of the competitors out and when he turned to face the other, one of the men from the line had joined in and again there were three. 

After the fourth knockout Dean started to tire, more quickly than he usually did, but he didn't stop. He ducked and rose and planted his heel in people's chest, sending them flying as he deflected jabs and slices from the other side. He didn't stop, just kept concentrating on his strikes, on the chanting of the crowd, his breathing. Every time he pounded a fighter into the dirt the crowd would erupt and Dean would remember his goal. 

Someone sliced through the leather over his right arm, making him lose his sword. He spun around to duck another strike swiping his leg under the competitor’s leg and launching him into the air before elbowing him in the chest and sending him back into the dirt. Someone hit him in the head from behind and he rolled to clamor for his other sword before quickly dispatching them. 

By the time Dean was fighting the final two, his leather armor was stained with his blood and his head was pounding. He wanted to take off his helmet. He wanted to breath the free air. He lost a sword, then lost his other sword before rolling out of the way. One stabbed at him but Dean grabbed his arm, ripped the mace from his hand and quickly slammed it against the man's helmet, who collapsed like a pile of bricks. Then Dean grabbed the man attacking him from behind and heaved, launching him over his shoulder so he flew into the dirt on the flat of his back and swiftly slammed the mace across his facemask and knocked him out. 

Dean dropped his mace, the lone man standing in the center of ten unconscious ones. 

He ripped his helmet off and took a breath of free air, sweat pouring down his temples. The roar of the crowd was muted, dull. Everything in slow motion. He exhaled another slow breath before that boyish grin of his spread across his face as he located Sam and Cas in the crowd. They were far away, so they couldn't really speak, but his expression read as only one thing. 

'What did I tell you?'

Dean laughed and held his arms up, forsaking the pain in his chest as he acknowledged the crowd around him. 

Castiel didn't restrain himself this time. He was cheering just as loudly as Sam, if not louder, jumping just as he was. He couldn't stop the wide smile from stretching across his face. Dean truly was amazing. 

"Castiel, it's time," Sam said urgently, tugging on his sleeve. Finally tearing his eyes away from Dean, he could see others leaving the stands with their flowers in hand, heading down to form the line and let the champion claim his prize. Castiel smiled a bit nervously before taking the orchid Sam had picked for him and heading down where everyone else was gathering. There were many beautiful women in line, as well as handsome men. There was a small voice that sounded suspiciously like Michael that said he wasn't as good as they were. He ignored it and took his place, mimicking everyone else's position of holding the flower out like an offer.

Benny came to Dean’s side and clapped his shoulder, he and Dean touching foreheads in a quick sign of camaraderie before Dean leaned into Benny's ear. "Bring him to me," He said.

"What?" Benny asked. "You've done this a thousand times you know how it's supposed to go."

"I'm changing the rules," Dean said with a grin, shaking the metal armor off his arm. "Go on."

"You are a weird one," Benny said, clapping his shoulder again before turning toward the stands and telling the guards. 

"You," one of the guards said, pointing at Castiel. "Come on."

Sam tilted his head to the side. This was unprecedented so even he had no idea what was going on. 

Castiel could tell by the look on people's faces that this was not a common occurrence. It made him a little bit nervous, but he followed the guard towards where Dean stood anyway. Honestly, he was just itching to get him back to the castle so that he could be properly treated. He had a lot of injuries that were doubt causing him pain.

"What're you doing?" Castiel murmured, a small playful smile on his face, "Their faces say that this is uncommon."

"Uncommon is one way of putting it," Dean said with a laugh. "The fact that Michael managed to convince you otherwise means that I didn't do a very good job making you feel like what he was saying was untrue." He cleared his throat, looking down at the flower before fishing something out of his pocket. "So here I am," He motioned to the crowd around them. "Literally under the eyes of almost my entire country," He turned back to Castiel. "I want them to know it, and I want you to know it." He opened a small box that had a silver ring in it with a bright sapphire adorning the signet ring in the center. "This was my mother's ring. I had it refitted and reshaped, but it's the same ring. I know that I have to marry you, and I know that you have to marry me. But I want you, and everyone else to know that... well," he cleared his throat. "I like to think that if the circumstances were different, I would have ended up marrying you anyway." He swallowed a nervous breath, which was ridiculous since he knew Cas more or less had to say yes, but it was still a gesture he hadn't planned on making. He took a knee, wincing as he did it and offering the ring to him. "So, marry me, Cas," he said, looking up at Cas with no small amount of nerves. "Because you want to. Not because you have to." 

Castiel's eyes widened. He could hear a resounding murmur rise up through the crowd as people began whispering to each other, some excited, some angry, some intrigued. He stood there for probably a few moments too long, completely shocked into silence. He suddenly registered the slight worry in Dean's eyes and began nodding. Slowly at first, but he quickly picked up speed, happy tears pricking the corners of his eyes. "Yes," he whispered, "Oh god, yes. Yes, Dean, of course!" He suddenly forgot that he was standing in the middle of a battle arena. He suddenly forgot that the entire kingdom was watching them, including his family. All of that flew from his brain as he looked down at Dean. He grabbed Dean by his collar and dragged him into standing before throwing his arms around Dean's neck and pressing their lips together.

The crowd erupted in cheers and Dean picked Castiel up around his waist and spun him around as they kissed each other, very publicly. He moved his hands to hold Castiel by his face as he continued to kiss him before dropping his forehead onto Castiel's. He laughed and nuzzled at Castiel's face. "My last tournament," he breathed. "You said to make it a legendary one. I have a feeling Winchesters will be talking about this for generations." He kissed him again, gingerly holding his face. 

Castiel pulled away after a moment, running a hand down Dean's face. "You need to get medical attention," he said quietly, a huge smile on his face, "Unless you'd rather wait for Michael to get to you first." His face turned red as the crowd cheered, moving to hide his face against Dean.

"Nothing can hurt me right now," he said softly, slipping the ring on Castiel's finger as he nuzzled into Castiel's neck. "Not even Michael and all his armies. Oh wait... that'd be me." He laughed and took Castiel by the chin so he could kiss him again, the crowd erupting again. He laughed and turned away, making sure someone was seeing to his weapons and everything before leading Castiel out of the arena, waving at the crowd. 

Castiel felt about bit strange about waving to the crowd, so he settled for smiling at them instead. "Your people seem very excited about your proposal," he said with a small laugh. 

"They love our country... they are just happy that I am happy. And they're glad I went out with a bang, I suppose," he said with a laugh, groaning to hold his side. "Winning wounded, and proposing to my betrothed. No one saw that coming. I didn't even tell Sam."

"And I'm sure he's thrilled, but I think we've had enough excitement for today," Castiel said, leaning up to give Dean's cheek a kiss. 

"What was that disgusting display?" Michael said, face livid as he stalked up to them. Castiel stepped back on instinct, eyes on the ground. It wasn't very often that he made Michael that angry, but when he did it never ended well for him.

Dean pulled Castiel in close; Castiel didn't have to be afraid of him. "Do not speak to him like that," Dean sneered, eyeing him up and down. "What Castiel and I do is our business and I'll thank you not to ruin our good mood with your rain cloud of malcontent. If you wish to speak to me about it, then do so in private before you make a fool of yourself in front of my people. I have an open wound to see to." He passed Michael without another word as they headed back to the castle. Dean had lost a lot of blood after all and he needed to be able to walk. 

"I'm sorry I didn't speak up," Castiel said quietly. He was ashamed of himself. He couldn't let Michael continue to bully him like that. 

"In two days it won't matter," He said, kissing Castiel's cheek. "It took an act of great treason on my father's part for me to finally stand up to him. Something like that just doesn't... go away." He smiled and winced with every step up the stairs. "Let's just make sure I can stand up at our wedding. I’ll deal with Michael." 

Castiel shifted them so that he was carrying the brunt of Dean's weight. A few servants caught sight of them and immediately rushed off to collect medical supplies and have them placed in the room. Castiel moved them as fast as Dean could manage until he could finally let the injured man collapse on the bed. "You were amazing today," he said, giving Dean's forehead a kiss.

"Yeah?" he said, smiling rather childishly. "You think so?"

"The greatest warrior I've ever had the privilege to witness," Castiel said with a smile. He tugged Dean's shirt over his head gently and set to tending to his wounds.

"Or will ever see!" Dean added, suddenly drowsy now that he was resting. He reached out for Castiel's hand, swaying back and forth a little. "You really love me, don't you?"

"I do," Castiel said with a small blush, finishing up the bandages on Dean's torso and now just wiping away the excess blood. He would apply some of the salve tomorrow. With wounds this large, it was healthier to let the body work naturally in the beginning.

"Good," Dean said with a small laugh. "Because I-"

"Leave us," Michael said from the doorway, talking to Castiel but staring at Dean. 

"Majesty," Dean said with a sigh. "I didn't mean now. I'm wounded."

"Wounded or no, Winchester, we are going to have words." Michael's icy eyes settled on Cas. "Leave us."

Castiel glanced at Dean, biting his lip before he took another look at Michael. The look in his eyes sent chills down his spine. He gave Dean's hand a squeeze before letting go and exiting the room. He remained just outside the door, in the off chance that Dean would need him.

Dean nodded at Castiel, letting him know it was alright for him to leave, letting his hand slip. He sobered immediately and got to his feet turning to look at Michael. 

"Alright, Majesty," He said, holding onto the bedpost. "What can I do for you?"

"I come with a request," he said coolly, hands fists. "Do not marry Castiel."

"I... I'm sorry?" Dean said, more unbelieving than anything. 

"Don't marry him. I come with a solution that ends with both countries getting what they need without the two of you needing to marry."

Dean exhaled and crossed his arms. "I'm listening." 

Castiel cursed under his breath. He could just barely catch every couple of words. The doors were thicker than he'd anticipated, though he felt good about this for others reasons. No one was around to hear his thoughts but they made him blush anyway. He looked down both directions of the corridor to check that no one was there before getting down and laying flat on the floor, his ear pressed against the crack.

"If you agree and don't marry my brother, your father has agreed to sign the treaty anyway. We will pay Winchesters debts, you will defend Novak. No one has to get married."

Dean exhaled. "Why are you doing this, Michael?" 

"Because despite what you may think I care for my little brother. That is why I shield him from the world. That is why your... your... actions disgust me so. I can see every day that he falls for you because he doesn't know any better." 

"You underestimate him, yet again."

"Do not talk down to me, Winchester, he has been an island his whole life, he'd fall for the first person to show him affection."

"So what's your solution... we don't marry? Then he just gets locked back up in your ivory tower for the next highest bidder?"

"No. You agree to not marry him and Castiel goes free." 

Dean was silent for long. Long moments. 

Castiel's eyes went impossibly wide. This couldn't be real. Michael would never actually let him loose in the world. There was no way. He wanted to burst in and call Michael's bluff, or better yet, tell him that being with Dean was better than all the freedom in the world. However, something kept him glued to his spot on the floor. A desire to see how Dean would react to such a proposal.

"I... would have to talk to Cas about it." He said finally. 

"What? Why?"

"Because I actually care about his opinion? Unlike you, so it seems."

"His opinion is irrelevant. He loves you; of course he's not going to want to stop the wedding. You are going to have to be the one to stop the whole thing he will not listen to anyone else."

Dean ran his hand down his face, exhaling. 

"Your silence tells me you're thinking about it."

"Of course I'm thinking about it," Dean snapped. 

Michael laughed a little victoriously. "I knew you didn't really want to marry him."

"Is that what you think this is? Is that why you came here?"

"You obviously do not care for him as he does you, Dean, or you wouldn't even be considering my proposal."

"Wrong," He sneered, poking Michael in the chest. "It is because I love him that I'm thinking about it. You have kept him caged his entire life and he deserves to be able to see the world, to learn things and meet people and fall in love on his own. He deserves all of that, because you robbed it from him. I am violently in love with your brother and that is the only reason I am considering your proposal, Michael. He deserves more than an arranged marriage to the likes of me and if he can have more than that... then I want him to." 

"You... really?" Michael said, almost befuddled. "You're in love with him?"

"Most ardently," Dean sighed. "And if I have your word that... that you will let him live his life free from your... your cage, then I think he deserves that chance." He exhaled a hard breath. "He deserves better than me, and I will want it in writing that you intend to let him have it."

Castiel stood and dusted himself off before pushing the door open. 

"If I could, perhaps, have some input here?" he said, closing the door behind him.

"This matter is of no concern of yours," Michael sneered at him.

"Oh, but I think it is," Castiel said, talking back to Michael for one of the first times in his life. 

"Excuse me?" Michael said, voice dangerously low.

"You are standing here discussing my life, I believe I deserve some input," Castiel stated firmly, staring Michael down, "You can grant me all the freedom you want. You can send me anywhere to learn anything. You can have me meet new people and try new things. But when all that is done, I promise you, I will always and forever end up right back here. With Dean. There is nowhere I would rather spend the rest of my life."

"That is because you know nothing better!" Michael exclaimed.

"Do not place upon me the ignorance of a child!" Castiel yelled, raising his voice for maybe the third time in his life. Michael stood there, stunned into silence. "Make whatever decisions you please," he said more calmly, "But if Dean will have me, then I will have him."

Even Dean seemed a little taken about by Castiel's outburst. But after long moments of silence spoke up. "Is this deal true?" He said to Michael in a low tone.

"I... you... what?" Michael asked, still seemingly stunned. 

"The deal," Dean snapped. "Are you being true here?" 

"Y-yes... I am a man of my word."

Dean eyes were red and stinging as he tried not to let his voice crack. He didn't know how much Castiel had heard about the situation but he figured he had to try. "Then no, Cas... I will not have you." His jaw set and he looked away. "I'll... I should go... tell... everyone..." he forced out a breath and pushed past Michael. 

Castiel stood frozen in the middle of the floor. He clenched his fists, not moving a muscle. "You would not have the man you love?" he called voice cracking slightly at the end, knowing it was loud enough for Dean to hear.

Dean froze in the door, his shoulders tense, his fists clenching. He leaned on the doorframe but didn't turn around. "It's because I love you that I won't have you," he said softly, defeated. He refused to turn around for fear of Cas seeing the tear streaks down his face. "You deserve a better life... a life you finally have a chance to have." He turned around just enough to catch Castiel's outline behind him. "Your brother loves you, Cas. You should be thanking him." 

Castiel whipped around and stalked over to Dean, a crack echoing through the room as his hand connected with Dean's face. Tears ran down his own face, which was marred by a mixture of anger and sadness. 

"All my life I have had people tell me what is best for me," he hissed, "What good is freedom when I cannot have what I want because someone else decided I could have what they perceive as better?" Castiel stood there for a moment before turning to Michael. "Thank you for granting me the greatest thing I have ever experienced and promptly taking it away," he spat, voice dripping with sarcasm. Without further fanfare, he left the room, taking the servants entrance to get outside.

Dean stood there in stunned silence for the better part of five minutes before looking back at Michael who shared his bewilderment. "Cas," He called after him, running out to chase down wherever he went. He ran out the door and looked around, panic and ache running rampant through his chest. "Castiel!" He called, frantically bursting outside. 

Castiel knew he was in sight of the door, so he made no move to call out or run. He simply stood there, staring down at the orchids, tears blurring his vision.

"Cas," He breathed, coming up behind him. "You're right... " He said stepping in front of him to catch his eye line. "You've spent your whole life having decisions made for you and I'm not about to join the list of people who think you don't know what you want." He sighed and took Castiel's face in his hands. "I just never want you to resent me later when you realize how much more you could have had, I don't know what would be worse, never having you in the first place or having you only for you to hate me some day." Tears fell freely down his face as he dropped his head, shaking it softly.

"If there ever comes a day when I don't love you, then I want you to put me out of my misery because I'll have clearly lost my mind," Castiel murmured, taking Dean's face in his hands gently. He pressed their foreheads together, trying his hardest to stop the tears that covered his face. "I love you," he whispered, "I love you, I love you, I love you. Having you is already more than I could have ever asked for. I need you to see that."

Dean’s lips tightened as he fought down tears. "Cas," He said, shaking his head. "You deserve so much better," he said softly. "You are so brilliant, and kind, and gentle and... and.. beautiful and I will give you everything I can for the rest of my life because I have never wanted anything the way I want to wake up next to you every morning. But this life... my life... it's not... there will be war, and I will be at the forefront, and I can't... I can't give you the life you deserve. But if you decide that it doesn't matter, by god I will try." He inhaled sharply and exhaled. "I love you... I love you so fiercely I can't see straight." 

Castiel couldn't think of a word he could say to express the emotions he was feeling, so he settled for a kiss. A fiery, intense, desperate, deep kiss that Castiel poured his very soul into. He needed Dean to see that none of that mattered to him. As long as he knew that Dean would be there for as long as he was able, that was all Castiel needed to be happy for the rest of his life. 

Dean returned the kiss, pouring every ounce of passion he could, wrapping him in his strong arms and pulling him into his chest. It was a long emotional kiss that made Dean's heart thrum in his chest. Once the adrenaline of the moment wore off however, his wound and exhaustion caught up with him, his bandages already soaked with fresh blood. He hit his knees with a hard grunt, wincing against the pain, feeling rather faint from blood loss. Had he eaten that day? What time was it? He shook his head out and put his hands on the ground to try and steady himself. "I... I'm sorry," He said through a panting breath.

"No, no I shouldn't have made you come after me," Castiel said with a shake of his head, helping Dean to his feet, supporting most of the other man's weight, "Let's get you back inside and into bed with some fresh bandages, water, and food."

"I think it's... need to sleep," he said almost drunkenly trying to hold onto his consciousness. He clung around Castiel's shoulders. "Don't run... away from me... I don't want to lose you." He was rambling almost drunkenly, not really able to keep his train of thought straight. 

"I will never run away from you," Castiel promised, beginning to struggle a little under Dean's weight. Getting him back up the stairs took much longer than he would have liked, but eventually, they were back in the room. Michael had left, which Castiel was grateful for. He was not ready to face his brother again. He laid Dean down on the bed and despite his nearly unconscious state, he brought a glass of water to his lips and made him take a few sips. He would have forced food down his throat as well, but he knew that would not have ended well. He set about cleaning the wounds once more and applying the bandages, this time adding just a touch of the salve. They were healing much more slowly than Castiel had anticipated and the blood loss was beginning to worry him. He knew that sleeping would be best for Dean's body to recuperate, but he couldn't help but be nervous.

"Don't leave," he said with an exhale, reaching for Castiel blindly before he fell fully unconscious. 

Castiel rose for only a moment to retrieve a book that had been placed on his desk before returning to Dean's side. He took the other man's hand in his own before settling in to wait until he awoke.

Dean slept for more than eighteen hours. It was the when he finally groaned awake it was the middle of the next day. He tried to lift his head but he was so weak, so tired. He coughed and tried to sit up but only managed to roll over. 

Castiel jolted awake from where he had been slumped in his chair when he heard Dean cough. "Don't move," he instructed groggily, "Try to tell me how you feel."

"Cold," he managed to groan, his eyes opening only a little. "Weak," he added realizing that his head wouldn't move. 

"Cold?" Castiel asked, confusion clear in his voice. Of all the side effects he knew of severe blood loss, none of them included the victim feeling cold. There may be something else at work here. "Stay still," he said as he stood, "I'm going to take a sample from the wound on your chest, and then maybe try to get some food and water into your system."

Dean could feel his insides sort of shaking. "No I uh... I'm okay." He cleared his throat and tried to sit up, his shoulders and arms shaking under his weight. "I just need a uh... bath and I'll be okay. There's too much to be done." 

"Lay back down before I make you," Castiel said softly but firmly as he walked back over with a few swabs and test tubes, "You can tell me what needs to be done and I will do it, but you will not be leaving this bed until I know what's wrong with you."

"What's wrong is that I'm still laying down when I should be making plans for our wedding the day after tomorrow..." He looked around. "Wait it's the day after the tournament right? Did I sleep through two days?"

"You did not sleep through two days," Castiel soothed, pushing him back down gently as he undid his bandages with one hand, hold his test tubes in the other. However, they would never live to serve their purpose as they soon crashed into pieces against the floor. "Oh my god," Castiel breathed, horror painted in his eyes. The wound in Dean's chest had turned black, dark veins beginning to spread in all directions. He had never seen anything like it. The tip of the lance had not only been sharpened, but poisoned as well.

"What... what's wrong?" He said, trying to see past Castiel's hands. "Cas, talk to me." 

"N-nothing is wrong," Castiel said shakily, "At least not permanently. But I'll need you to close your eyes. This may hurt." This would not only be painful for Dean, but Castiel as well. However, he did not want to waste any time trying to find a natural cure. He had the ability to fix this and fix it quickly, and god help him Castiel was going to use it. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply as he placed both hands over Dean's wound. He focused on the energy in the room, flowing around them, making up everything that existed. Matter could not be made or destroyed, but it could be changed. Castiel let out his breath slowly, his hands beginning to heat up. He knew that if he opened his eyes, he would see a faint glow. He could feel Dean's skin heating beneath his own, beginning to change and morph. It took only a split second. A blast of heat and light had Dean's wound changed into healthy tissue, using the energy from Castiel's own. Castiel's body expelled the change immediately, causing him to vomit on the floor. At least now it couldn't hurt anyone. Castiel wiped his mouth, looking over at Dean with a tired smile. "I told you to let me heal you in the tent," he teased lightly.

"Cas you what- ARGH" His body lurched and his back arched under the pain before he heard Castiel retching and opened his eyes to see all the black thick goo on the floor. He was panting, his eyes wide and more than a little confused with a dash of terror. "Cas, what in the fuck just happened?"

"Healing alchemy," Castiel chuckled, "A lot of people get scared after their first experience." He took a swig of water to try and rinse his mouth of the disgusting substance. He would have to be sure that the vomit was correctly and safely disposed of. 

"Good lord, man, you just sucked that shit out of my body and threw it up on my floor?" Dean kind of backed up, tried to press himself back against the headboard. "Holy shit, are you a wizard?"

"It's one of the most basic laws of science, Dean," Castiel said with a shrug, "Matter cannot be made or destroyed, but it can be changed or replaced. I replaced your unhealthy tissue with healthy tissue of my own. My body rejected the switch, causing the vomit, while yours accepted it." Castiel looked down at his hands and arms to find pink, raw skin looking up at him, confirming his suspicion. "Since I got nothing in return, I'm missing a good few layers of skin, so I will be rather tender while my body replaces them."

Dean sat up and looked at Castiel's hands, taking them gently in his. "God... I... what can I do? Does it hurt? Should you lie down? You can't just treat this like nothing happened I'm kind of freaking out." 

Castiel laughed a little. "It's the same as though you scrubbed yourself too hard in the bath, just a little more severe," he soothed, "I will be fine in a day or so. What's more important is how you are feeling." Healing alchemy was something he was very used to, as were many in Novak, but he supposed to someone who had never truly seen it, it could be quite disconcerting. 

Dean swallowed down his frantic nerves, looking down at Castiel's hands. He started to spin the ring... his mother's ring, on Castiel's finger. "I'm fine," He said, the events of yesterday finally coming back to him. "I'm an idiot," he said softly. 

"Yes you are," Castiel said, a fond smile on his face as he leaned forward and kissed Dean's forehead, "But you're my idiot."

"That I am," He said, nuzzling his forehead against Castiel's. "I'm sorry." After a beat he turned his head. "Is it just me or have I not eaten in like two days?"

"It's not just you," Castiel said with a chuckle, "I've been waiting for you to wake up so I could get some food into you." He stepped outside for a moment to signal a servant to bring them some food as well as something to dispose of the waste in the room.

Dean felt rejuvenated if not a little weirded out, so he drew the bath like warm and pull Castiel in with him while the servants set up their breakfast. Dean held Castiel against his bare chest, holding him like a hold with a cherished blanket or comfort toy. He nuzzled into the back if his neck, gently washed him with the warm water and took care to rinse the soap out without getting it in his eyes. Once they were clean they sat and they ate together, the remnants of that black crap already gone.

"So what planning did you have in mind for us today?" Castiel said with a smile, wiping his mouth gently as he finished his breakfast. 

"I was planning on just popping in on our respective kings to make sure they haven't screwed everything up," Dean said with a laugh, leaning over the bed to kiss Castiel as he got dressed. "I don't know how much we will be needed in this whole thing, but I only get one wedding, I plan on making sure they don't embarrass you." 

"Embarrassing for me?" Castiel asked with a chuckle, "You're not worried about them embarrassing you?" He was beginning to really feel the nerves and excitement coming with the wedding. He and Dean were going to be bound together for the rest of their lives. He couldn't think of a better way to live out the rest of his days.

"Well yeah," Dean said with a shrug as they walked down the hall. "You're the one walking down the aisle because you're the one coming to our country. But I want to make sure they're not making you out to be 'the wife' in any other way. You're a man, and if it even smacks of them treating you as otherwise, I plan on shutting that shit down." 

Castiel pulled him into a chaste kiss. "Thank you," he murmured. He'd never had someone that was so considerate of his feelings. Michael, though he cared in his own way, was constantly treating him as a possession to be traded. Dean was so different than anyone else he'd ever met and he knew that he would love him for years to come.

They popped in on the plans, and the great hall where they were already setting everything up. Great wreaths of flowers and fine tablecloths and everything. Not a single expense spared. Dean groaned when he saw the huge white carriage they were supposed to ride through town on, wishing he could just saddle up Baby and go through town that way. Hell, walking would be better than being pulled through the town like pompous nobles, but it was tradition so Dean conceded. He just wanted it to be over. To have the Novaks go home and he and Castiel to finally just... be together. 

The following day was hectic. He and Castiel barely saw each other as servants ran this way and that. Dean tried on his suit, servants buzzing around to fix little parts that didn't fit. Every time he tried to go see Cas he was pulled away by Sam or Balthazar or a coordinator or some other damn thing. He would put on a polite smile, groaning internally as he followed along to do whatever he needed to. 

Castiel despaired. He hadn't been able to see Dean at all as they were being prepared for the wedding. He was fit and nipped and tucked and trimmed so much he doubted he even looked the same. He would catch glimpses of Dean but he was always quickly dragged away. However, Castiel could deal with all this as long as everything went smoothly from here on out. He and Dean had already had plenty of things go wrong. They could do with a few things going right. 

Dean groaned as he made his way down for dinner, grinning the moment he saw Castiel was already at the table. "Ah, Cas," he sighed. "You're a sight for sore eyes." He leaned down and kissed his cheek, lingering and exhaling against his skin before taking the seat beside him. "I like the haircut," He said with a grin.

Castiel blushed as he smiled, a hand coming up to touch his hair on instinct. "Thank you," he said softly, "Michael wanted it to sit a little more flat for the wedding." Seeing Dean was like a breath of fresh hair. Castiel just wanted to bury himself into Dean's chest and stay there forever. 

"I like the way it looks when you first wake up in the morning and it's going in a million directions at once," He said with a laugh, linking his fingers into Castiel. "But I suppose this will suffice for now." He exhaled and rubbed his temple with his other hand. "I have to admit I'm already kind of looking forward to it being over," he said.

"I'm inclined to agree," Castiel said with a chuckle, "I hadn't fully realized how much preparation had to be done. It's quite stressful." He squeezed Dean's hand, having missed being in almost constant contact with the other man. He supposed the intensity would fade with time, but for now it was all new and exciting and he didn't want to miss a second.

They ate and conversed, though Castiel and Dean were mostly silent as the rest of their family talked about the wedding and the guests that were going to start arriving. By the time dinner had concluded Dean was completely drained. He sat on their bed and rolled out his neck. "Lord, how can two people getting married involve so many other people?"

"I completely understand how you feel," Castiel said sleepily, eyes already closed, flopping down face first onto the bed, "I just want to perform the ceremony and spend the night with you." 

Dean collapsed next to Cas, both of them still mostly clothed. "It's going to be a long day," He said tiredly, turning to wrap an arm around Castiel's shoulders. "But it is only another day and then it will be over." He kissed his head. "You'd best air out your cold feet now, once you wake up there's no turning back," He teased. 

Castiel was silent for a moment, simply feeling Dean's body against his own. "It's not really cold feet," he began slowly, "But... is... how much is it going to hurt?" His voice had gotten very quiet by the end, embarrassed by his question. He hoped Dean knew what he was referring to. Castiel just wanted to take that into account because he was really considering it.

Dean laughed. "The wedding may be quite the production, but I hardly think marrying me is going to hurt," he said before propping himself up on his elbows. "Wait, what are we talking about?"

Castiel was now very glad that he was not facing Dean. "Sex," he whispered very quietly.

"I think you just said sex," Dean said with a laugh, putting a hand on Castiel's shoulder and forcing him to roll over so he could see his face. "Why are you thinking about that? I told you that I didn't care about all of that didn't I? In all honesty you and I are probably going to be so tired tomorrow night I'll be surprised if we do anything but sleep."

"I've been thinking about it," Castiel said with a small shrug, not meeting Dean's eyes, "Not because of anyone else but because of us. I want to be close to you. We've just been through a lot and I've been thinking about it."

Dean sat up and put his back against the headboard. "Do you... even... I mean do you know what it entails?" 

"I have a very vague idea," Castiel mumbled, voce muffled from where his face was now pressed into the bed, "Which is why I thought I'd ask."

"If we're going to talk, you're going to need to take your face out of the bed," he said with a laugh. "After everything, you're still embarrassed to talk to me about your body?"

"It's not a subject I ever really had to worry about discussing with another before," Castiel said, turning his face slightly to the side so Dean could hear him.

"Come on," he said, pulling Cas into his lap so he could look down into his face. "If you're interested in it, we'll talk about it. No pressure, okay?"

"I don't really know where to start," Castiel said honestly, a bright red blush rising to his cheeks.

"I hate to say this," he Dean said with a wince. "But if you want to know about... how much it hurts, I'd talk to Balthazar for specifics. But for my part, I know what I'm doing and you don't just... go for it. It's the same thing with everything else we've done. You start with hands, and move on from there when you're comfortable. From what I’ve heard, if done properly," He arched an eyebrow. "And you're marrying Dean Winchester so it'll obviously be done properly, it doesn't so much hurt it's just... unusual, uncomfortable. It's a rather tight part of you stretching further than it has in the past." 

Castiel nodded, biting his lip, still blushing rather furiously. He trusted Dean. He trusted him with his life and he saw no reason not to trust him with this as well. Part of him felt like he was making this into far too big of a deal. He'd heard some rather accomplished philosophers hypothesize that virginity was a manmade concept and did not actually affect a person negatively or positively. If that was true, then Castiel had no reason to feel the way that he did. It was mostly nerves if he was being honest. "What... what would I have to do?"

Dean shrugged running an affectionate hand through Castiel's shorn hair. "Nothing you haven't done already," he said. "Lie back, breath, say my name," he teased for no reason other than he liked to make him blush. "We probably won't have penetrative sex until you're a little more... uh... comfortable with how it feels. I mean unless you really want to but... like I said, there's nothing wrong with not doing it at all."

"I want to," Castiel insisted, "I do. I just... I mean I've always been nervous when I try anything for the first time. I suppose this is the same."

"Well," he said, bringing up one of his hands to kiss, "How about we see how you feel tomorrow night. I have a sneaking suspicion we won't have the energy for any of it, but if we do, we'll go as far as you’re comfortable." 

Castiel nodded, bring Dean's hand down to kiss. "I love you," he murmured. He doubted that anyone else would have treated him with such respect and care.

"And, despite how incredibly unlikely it seemed, I love you," he leaned down, kissing Castiel’s nose. "Most violently, I'm afraid."

"I have a feeling that we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," Castiel said, moving to tug Dean into laying down, "We should get some sleep."

Dean agreed, settling down in next to Cas and pulling him into his chest. It took him a good portion of the night, nerves, he guessed, but he fell asleep eventually, sleeping rather soundly with Cas in his arms.

Castiel was awake for a little longer than Dean, his mind running away from him as he thought. He couldn't believe this was happening. He was really getting married. When he finally fell asleep, it was with a smile on his face.

A fist slamming into the door was what shook them from lumber. "Majesties! It is time!"

Dean stretched his arm above his head. "Give us a minute," he demanded before turning to hold Castiel and nuzzle his face into the back of his neck. "Good morning," he groaned tiredly. "Last chance," he warned. "If you're going to back out, it's now or never."

Castiel pulled Dean into a deep kiss, pressing their bodies together for a brief moment. "You're not getting away from me," he murmured.

Dean returned the kiss gladly, holding Castiel by the back of his neck and exhaling onto his lips. "I should go," he said softly. "But next time I see you, you'll be a Winchester," he said with a grin nudging his face before kissing him again. 

Bang. Bang. Bang. 

"Majesties!"

"Alright!" Dean called, obviously irritated. He turned back to Cas. "I love you," he said before kissing him again and hopping out of bed, still wearing his clothes from last night. 

"I love you too," Castiel responded, flopping back into the bed. He knew he had to get up but he didn't want to just yet. He knew that his brothers would be here soon enough to ensure that everything was perfect before he even left the room.

Dean was grinning as the servants whipped him out of the room and pulled him down the hallway to get ready and finalize plans. He had a heart-to-heart with his newly sober father, they hugged, John teared up, Sam came in and caused a ruckus for the nurses. It was a frenzy. 

"My goodness, look at you," Balthazar said, sauntering into the room as servants were combing gel into Dean's hair. 

"Shut up, Balthazar," Dean groaned. 

"No, no, all sarcasm gone. If you weren't in your wedding clothes, I think I might try and take you for myself." 

Dean arched a playful eyebrow before laughing. "Well, I guess you missed your chance," he said with a laugh. He tugged on the military style jacket of black and gold filigree, straightening his sleeve with a nervous exhale. "Have you seen Cas?" He asked, turning to Balthazar. "Is he okay? Is he nervous?"

"He's got family and servants buzzing round him like a hornets nest I'm surprised anything’s getting done. I was on my way to see him next. Are you okay?"

"Great. Fine. Wonderful. Why don't I look okay?"

Balthazar laughed. "He's got you round his little finger doesn't he?" he said with a laugh. "You look wonderful, Dean. More handsome than I've ever seen you, and I've seen you be every kind of handsome."

"You clean up okay yourself," Dean teased. "Go... try and be with Cas. I'm sure he needs a friend right now."

"As you wish, Majesty," Balthazar said with a dramatic bow before turning and heading out the door again. 

\--

Castiel fidgeted. His hands twitched, his leg wiggled, his fingers twiddled. He simply could not remain still. Every once in a while, he would hear a barely suppressed sigh from the servants who were trying to get him ready. They constantly had to pause and wait for him to stop moving. Gabriel was no help, going on and on about how great the desserts were bound to be. Michael was going over the order of procedures for the day. Over and over. This was probably the seventh time he was going through the list. Castiel had started tuning him out after the third.

"You put the most beautiful sunrise to shame, Cassie," Balthazar said with a smile as he waltzed into the room. Castiel blushed.

"Are you sure I don't look ridiculous?" Castiel asked nervously.

"Dean will fall over at the alter," Balthazar assured him. The white suit was perfectly fitted and perfectly pressed. Despite his royal position, Castiel had never worn anything like it before. 

"Have you seen him? How is he feeling?" Castiel asked immediately. He hadn't seen the other man since they had woken up.

"He's fine," Balthazar laughed, "And he actually told me to ask you the same."

"I'm just a little nervous," Castiel said, "And nauseous. And maybe dizzy. Is it hot in here?"

"Calm down," Balthazar instructed, mimicking a deep breathing motion with his hands, "You're marrying a devilishly attractive man who loves you. Nothing can go wrong."

"It will when I screw up," Castiel mumbled.

"Ah, but you won't," Balthazar pointed out, "Once you see him, you won't even remember why you felt this way. I guarantee it." Castiel nodded, hoping his friend was right.

\--

Dean stood with Sam, Benny, and Bobby at the altar. He would have had Balthazar be a groomsman, but he was Castiel's closest friend and couldn't be Castiel's best man and Dean's groomsman. Sam held Castiel's ring in his hands like he would die if he let it go. It was his only job, and he was determined to do it right. 

"Lord, take a breath, Sammy, it's okay. Everything's going to be fine." 

Sam looked up at him. "I don't want to mess it up. I want it to be perfect. I want to do it right." 

Dean crouched down on the balls of his feet and took Sam by the shoulders. "Sammy, you won't mess this up. There isn't a thing you could do to mess this up, okay? You're going to do great. If anything I'm going to make an ass of myself way before you can mess it up."

Sam smiled at that. "You look happy, Dean."

"I am happy, Sammy." The two brothers hugged before the music struck up and Dean shot into a standing position. 

"Hey, twinkle toes, try not to lose your mind," Benny called at him. 

"Shut up, Benny," Dean sneered. "We'll see how you're feeling if your ugly mug ever finds someone willing to look at you their whole life." 

"Are you ready, Majesty?" the cleric asked, putting a hand on Dean's shoulder.

"Uh, yeah. Yes. Uh..." He looked down at Sam, then down the long isle, then at his father in the front row, then at the cleric again. "I'm ready."

Castiel heard the music begin to play from his spot behind the door and almost started hyperventilating. He just wanted things to go right. 

"Try not to faint on your way down the aisle," Balthazar teased as he began his swagger down to the alter. 

"You're going to do great, little brother," Gabriel said with a smile before making his way down as well. 

"Are you ready?" Michael asked, holding his arm out for Castiel to take. Castiel took a deep breath, eyes shut, before letting out slowly and taking Michael's arm. They stood in the doorway for a moment and everyone in attendance stood and turned in their direction. Castiel didn't notice them though. He could only see Dean, and for a moment, the breath was gone from his lungs once more. Michael tugged him subtly to begin walking, and Castiel did though he felt more as though he was floating. Every step brought him closer to Dean, closer to their new life together, until finally he was there being given away by Michael and taking Dean's hand in his own.

Dean and Balthazar quickly made faces at each other as he walked down the aisle, but once Dean could see Castiel his expression completely dropped. His heart leaped into his throat and his ears started ringing. He looked star struck, dumbfounded. He completely ignored Michael as he handed off Castiel and Dean slid his gloved hands onto Castiel's. "Wow," he breathed, sketching out the points of Castiel's face with his eyes. "I mean... I just... You look... wow..."

The cleric had begun talking but it was dull and Dean couldn't hear him, he was completely focused on Castiel, almost forgetting where they were or what was happening. 

"Your majesty!" The cleric said for the third time. 

"Oh! What? Yes! Sorry." Dean prattled, snapping to attention. 

"Do you," the cleric began again. "Take Castiel Milton as your husband..." He droned the vows again since Dean obviously hadn't heard them the first time in his blind rapture. 

"Absolutely," he said, because 'I do' was boring and didn't express his pleasure well enough for his tastes. A grin split his face, his eyes glittering with his unabashed adoration as he looked down into Castiel’s face, his thumbs nervously caressing Castiel’s knuckles as the cleric began reciting Castiel’s vows. "Last chance," he said in a low tone as the cleric spoke so only Castiel could hear him. "After this you're stuck with me."

Castiel smiled, his eyes never wavering from Dean's own. He waited until the cleric finished reciting his vows for Dean. "I do," Castiel said firmly, "With all my heart." 

"God, I could almost vomit from all the sweetness," Balthazar muttered.

"At least he's not your brother," Gabriel shot back, "This is just awkward." Without lifting his gaze from Dean's face, Castiel reached back with his foot and kicked Balthazar in the shin. The message was clear: Shut up. 

Dean laughed, shaking his head back and forth a little as he raised his hand to brushed his gloved knuckles down Castiel’s jaw as the cleric started to bind their hands as he spoke, some long-winded speech about symbolism. Dean adjusted their hands slightly so he could wrap his fingers around Castiel’s wrist, making it rather clear that he had no intention of letting their hands get separated. 

John made no real effort to break the binding, since he could see plainly this was what his son wanted.... And he was sober. Michael put forth a little more effort, but his heart wasn't in it. Though the ribbons began to fall away, Dean's iron grip around Castiel’s wrist held firm. He winked at Castiel as the cleric declared their marriage a happy one. 

The cleric went into another tirade; Dean reached back for Castiel’s ring, which Sam promptly provided before peeking around Dean to wave at Castiel before ducking back into his spot. 

Castiel gave Sam a happy smile before he felt a nudge against his shoulder. Balthazar had come up behind him to hand him Dean's ring. 

"Almost time for the big finish," he whispered with a wink at Dean before stepping back again. A light blush covered Castiel's cheeks as he looked back at Dean. At the cleric's instruction, Castiel was given his ring and Dean his. It fit snugly on his finger, resting next to the ring Dean had given him that day in the arena. They were declared married, though like Dean had predicted, the cleric made no call for a kiss. However, they weren't getting away with that. 

"You may now kiss the husband!" a voice called jovially from somewhere in the pews. Lighthearted chuckles resounded through the room. Castiel looked up at Dean, hesitating for a fraction of a second as he glanced back at Michael. Screw Michael, he thought. Castiel reached up to place a hand at the back of Dean's neck and pulled him down into a kiss. The room erupted in cheers and applause. Balthazar whistled loudly from behind them. As hard as Castiel tried, he couldn't keep the smile from spreading across his face, which made it very difficult to kiss.

Dean's hands flew to Castiel's face in a flash, holding either side of his jaw in his palms as he kissed him. Their teeth clicked as neither of them could stop from smiling, but they both couldn't stop from kissing either. Dean didn't know it, but a tear had escaped the corner of his eye and trailed down his cheekbone onto Castiel's cheek. His heart was fit to bursting as he cradled Castiel's face in his hands and kissed him in a series of chaste, but no less passionate, kisses. 

Castiel moved to hold Dean's wrists, his thumbs caressing the skin between his sleeves and his gloves. He pressed their foreheads together, feeling a laugh bubble up in his chest. "I love you," he said, unable to tell if he was going to burst into tears or not. All that he knew was that he was the happiest he had ever felt in his life. 

"And I love you," Dean breathed before kissing him one last time. His knees gave out when Sam tackled him from behind and he almost fell over, but caught himself on Cas and turned around with a smile before picking Sam up and hugging both he and Cas. The two most important things in his life. 

"We're an actual family now!" Sam said. 

Dean laughed and kissed Castiel's cheek as Balthazar wormed his way into the hug. Then Gabriel. Then Benny. They laughed as they stood in a huge group hug that united two families and two kingdoms. 

"This has been all well and good and no one is happier for you than I," Balthazar said. "But I swear to god if I don't get a drink in the next five minutes I may vomit out of sheer protest." 

Screw the plans and the walking out by numbers in pairs. They all walked out together, people cheering and throwing flower petals over them as they went. "Now we have to sit in the carriage and ride through the city," Dean whispered down to Cas. While we do that everyone else will begin the reception."

"We're going to let them go on their own," Castiel teased, eyebrows raised as he looked back towards where Gabriel and Balthazar were subtly trying to get ahead of each other towards where the horses were tethered in order to get to the reception first. He squeezed Dean's hand in his own, still barely believing that it had happened.

"I'm afraid we don't have much of a choice," Dean teased back, opening the carriage door to help Castiel get in before climbing in behind him. "Now, people are going to expect you to lean over and shake their hands, but don't feel obligated. Though you did shove your tongue in my mouth in front of the entire city so I hardly think you should be embarrassed about shaking hands," he teased, leaning over to kiss Castiel on the cheek before the carriage lurched into motion. He held Castiel's hand firmly between them as they descended into town. "So... Mr. Winchester, any regrets?" 

"If there is one thing I know I will never regret, it will be this day," Castiel answered, completely void of hesitation. There was no reason he could think of that would ever make him want to undo what they have done today. He held Dean's hand tightly in his own as the carriage began to move forward. He gave his new husband a kiss before turning towards the window to greet the people.

Dean and Castiel shook hands and received cheek kisses (mostly from old ladies with the exception of Lady Rose) as they rode all the way through town. Once the reached the other side the carriage pulled around to lead them back toward the castle, but went around so Dean and Cas could relax. Dean shut both the windows and took Cas into his arms, kissing him the entire way back to the castle.


	8. Chapter 8

They kissed easily, lazily. There was a strange lack of destination in the kisses. They felt as though they weren't heading anywhere bigger, just kisses. Castiel was almost sad when the carriage jerked to a stop. 

Dean groaned and rolled out his neck. "We're married already can't we just... leave it at that?" He sighed and opened the carriage door before holding his hand out to Castiel. "Come along husband there is a party to be endured."

"If we must, husband," Castiel teased as he took Dean's hand with a smile. They walked into the room together and thanks to Balthazar and Gabriel, it seemed like the reception was already in full swing. 

"Do you think they'll notice if we just turn around and leave?" Dean said out of the side of his mouth. 

"There they are!" Balthazar sang, holding up a glass of wine. "To the happy couple."

"Well, shit," Dean cursed under his breath, smiling at the crowd. 

"Come, come," Balthazar said as he approached. "It's almost time for your first dance as husband and... urh... husband." Balthazar laughed.

"Speaking of which," Dean said, turning to Cas as they walked arm in arm. "I'm not a very good follow, but if you want to lead just to piss Michael off I will be more than happy to follow you." 

"Dancing is not my strongest suit," Castiel laughed, "If you would like to make it out of this with your toes, you should probably lead."

Dean sighed. "Very well, though I loathe to give Michael the satisfaction." Dean led Castiel out onto the dance floor wherever everyone cleared the way before he brought Castiel into his arms and very swiftly began to move them about the room. Dancing was always part of every noble's education and Dean was one of those who always enjoyed dancing, whomever the partner was. He'd even danced with Balthazar on occasion just to cause an uproar. He made up for Castiel's deficiencies smoothly, any time he would miss a step, Dean simply adjusted without error. To anyone watching they would think they were both proficient dancers, but Dean was simply a good lead. "Dancing is really a lot like fighting," he said. "Stop looking at your feet and just trust me to move you. You may find you even enjoy yourself."

Castiel lifted his gaze from his feet and looked up at Dean, a shy smile on his face. "Excuse me for not wanting to fall on my ass in front of everyone," he mumbled. Still, he tried to take Dean's advice. He trusted the other man with everything and Dean was definitely more than able to keep them both standing. Castiel tried not to think as much and just let Dean take care of it. 

"See? Look at that, you're moving beautifully," Dean said with a small laugh, leading Castiel out in spins and then bringing him back to his chest. "You're much more capable than you give yourself credit for, and I have the rest of my life to prove it to you." He kissed Castiel's temple, squeezing his hand playfully as they danced. 

Castiel laughed with him, unable to wipe his smile away. He brought Dean's knuckles to his lips for a quick kiss before continuing on with the dance. Slowly, the music faded away and the circle of people that had surrounded them burst into applause. The pair made their way off the dance floor as the music started up again and other couples went out to dance. 

Dean and Castiel sat at the center of a long table. Their groomsmen at their sides and their kings at the head of the table. Speeches were made, dances were danced, food was brought out. Dean danced with Joanna, and Balthazar, and anyone else who asked him, but never lingered, always quickly finding himself back at Castiel's side. Even when Castiel danced with others, Dean kept his eyes on him, unwavering, watching for any sign of discomfort. But there wasn't any. Castiel was radiant, simply emitting joy wherever he looked. Dean wondered how he could have possibly thought letting him go would have been the right choice. There was never any other choice; this was where they both belonged. It might not have been destiny, but it was damn close. 

The evening wore on. Castiel's face began to hurt, as he could not keep from smiling. He danced with many, unconcerned about the contact for once in his life. He felt like a new person. His eyes constantly strayed to Dean, adoration and love filling his gaze. Balthazar teased him whenever he caught him doing so. Castiel felt as though nothing could bring him down from the cloud he was sitting on. He could not even spare a worry for Michael when he held Dean's hand a placed a kiss on his cheek. As the night dwindled to a close, Castiel stuck close to Dean, waiting for a sign from him that they were allowed to retire for the night.

"Eager to get out of here?" Balthazar teased as they watched Castiel dance with Sam. 

"Incredibly," Dean affirmed. 

"That's the problem with being the guest of honor, you have to stay until the last man."

"Don't remind me," Dean groaned. "Lord, it's already almost midnight."

"There's still plenty of time for your... after wedding activities."

"At this point I'm thinking we will simply go straight to sleep. It's been an exhausting day." 

"That doesn't sound like the Dean Winchester I know," Balthazar teased. 

"Well, I'm not the Dean Winchester you knew," Dean said with a grin as his eyes fell on Cas again. "I'm better."

"You've got it bad, Winchester."

"Indeed I do." 

Dean spoke to his father before tapping Sam on the shoulder and asking him if he could cut in. Sam laughed and said of course and Dean swept Castiel into his arms again. "I've spoken to my father," He said, kissing his cheek. "You and I will be retiring after this dance. I think at this point we can sneak out unnoticed. Michael went to bed hours ago." 

"Oh thank heavens," Castiel sighed, a smile on his face, "My feet hurt. I feel as though I could lie down for the rest of my life." Though this was true, part of Castiel didn't want this day to end. It had been so magical, so unreal. Castiel was a little afraid that any moment he would wake up and find himself back in Novak with no Dean Winchester in his life. What a cruel fate that would be to endure. Castiel doubted he could do it. When the song ended, he went to bid goodnight to Sam and Balthazar, both his brothers having already gone to bed or been dragged there. Gabriel always did get a little out of control with his wine. It wasn't soon enough that he walked out hand in hand with Dean. 

"I don't care how good I look in this suit, the collar is stifling," Dean said with a chuckle, pulling at the collar of his jacket and trying to breath a little. "Did you have fun, at least?" 

"The most fun I've had in years," Castiel said with a laugh, undoing the first two buttons of his own shirt. He took a few more steps before pulling Dean to a stop with his hands and using his shoulder for balance as he took off his shoes. "I'm sorry, but I could not take another step," Castiel said sheepishly.

"Shall I carry you the rest of the way?" He teased. Stopping so Castiel could get his shoes off. "I can carry you over the threshold like a princess if you like."

Maybe it was the small bit of wine making him a little more daring, but Castiel held his shoes in his hand as he jumped onto Dean, wrapping his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist, forcing Dean to hold him up by his thighs. Castiel sighed happily and rested his head on Dean's shoulder. "This is good as well," he murmured.

Dean laughed and stumbled the rest of the way down the hallway and up the stairs, looking over Castiel's shoulder as they walked. He fumbled with the door before getting them inside, shutting it his foot. He made his way to the bed and gently lay Castiel down on it, kissing his cheek and throat before standing up. He turned to sit beside Castiel on the bed, taking his gloves off and looking at the silver band with green jewel now adorning his left ring finger. He wiggled his fingers, thinking the ring looked rather good right there. 

"So that's it," He said softly. "Married life starts now." 

Castiel hummed in agreement as he moved to straddle Dean's thighs. He buried his hands in Dean's hair and leaned forward to kiss his jaw. "And I couldn't be happier," he murmured, tucking his face in the crook of Dean's neck, placing a soft kiss against his throat.

Dean laughed and wrapped his arms around Castiel, moving his head to allow him greater access. "Let me see," he said, reaching his left hand to snatch Castiel's left out of his hair and look at it. He spun the two rings on Castiel's ring finger idly before looking up at him. He laughed a little. "I'm... kind of having trouble wrapping my head around it." 

Castiel continued to kiss up Dean's throat for a moment before pulling back to look at him. "Part of me almost feels as though nothing changed," he admitted.

Dean laughed a little before turning to look up into Castiel's face, that playful boyishness gone, replaced with simple sincerity. He shook his head a little, more out of disbelief than anything. He exhaled, still idly spinning Castiel's rings with his left hand. "Listen about what we talked about," he said, if Dean didn't know better he'd say he was nervous. "Last night, I mean. It... you know... it's been a really long day. You're tired, I know I'm tired... we don't need to do anything. I'm just... I'm already happy. Maybe happy is the wrong word, but I don't know how else to say it. You're perfect just how you are and we have all the time in the world for... everything else." He leaned up a little to kiss Castiel's chin slowly. "I love you." 

"And I love you," Castiel said softly, tilting his head down to press his lips against Dean's. It started out as something innocent before Castiel pressed closer, deepening the kiss. He felt as though someone had flipped a switch inside him. Suddenly, he wasn't nervous. He trusted Dean so completely and he didn't see why this should be different. It was almost like dancing. Castiel pulled away just barely, already a bit breathless. "If you'd like us to go to sleep, then we should go to sleep now," he murmured.

Dean inhaled the kiss greedily before exhaling against his mouth. He bunched his hands into Castiel's clothes and hoped his face was calm enough to not give him away. "I want whatever you want," he said in a breath. "You are my first, last, and only priority." 

"Then we may not be getting much sleep tonight," Castiel whispered, crashing their lips together in an intense kiss. This wasn't like the kiss in the carriage. This was clearly leading to something bigger, and rather than feeling nervous, Castiel was only excited to take this next step with Dean.

Dean made a soft moan into the kiss, his hands leaping up to wrap around Castiel's shoulders as he hungrily devoured the kiss. He pulled Castiel into them, trying to eliminate the space between them, if indeed there was any as they kissed. Castiel's confidence had completely erased Dean's cognitive thinking and he felt only the determined adoration, wanting so badly not to disappoint. 

Castiel leaned heavily into Dean, forcing him to lay back on the bed, his legs dangling over the edge a bit as Castiel settled on top of him without breaking the kiss. His hands traveled down Dean's sides until he reached the hem of Dean's shirt and he could push his hands underneath.

Dean groaned as he shrugged out of his jacket before his hands climbed the buttons of Castiel's, kissing him viciously as he pushed the shirt back off of Castiel's shoulders. 

Castiel could feel the fire climbing up his veins, the frenzy building in his stomach as they kissed. He rolled his hips down, a moan slipping from his lips only to be swallowed by the kiss.

Dean held on to his self-control, commanded himself to be slow, to be purposeful, to think about Cas. His body was moving in hesitant motions, trying to keep his movements slow, trying not to let his body lead the way. He was on fire, but he reigned it in. If he lost his mind, the only one that suffered would be Cas, and that was the last thing he wanted. He gripped Castiel around his back, his other hand gripping into his hair as he swallowed Castiel's unconscious moans with his mouth. 

Castiel moved against Dean, nothing barred, no inhibitions. He had no reason to he embarrassed. This was Dean. Breathy moans tumbled from his lips, until he pulled away suddenly. He stood up and fumbled, trying to undo his pants.

"Whoa there," Dean said with a wolfish grin. Snatching Cas by the wrist and pulling him back onto the bed. "Slow down there tiger, we have all the time in the world." He pulled Castiel down onto his back and rolled over him, taking up the mantle of removing his pants himself, but slowly, kissing down Castiel's chest as he did it, making the effort to move his hands with slow determination as he freed Castiel of his pants and ran his palms up his legs and thighs, kissing down his sides. 

Castiel whined breathily, arching into Dean's touch, eyes screwed shut. Part of him wanted to move things along, while the rest wanted to savor the moment. He reached down, needing to feel Dean, almost needing to anchor himself. This was real. Dean was his and he was Dean's.

Dean swallowed a nervous breath as he kissed along Castiel's thigh, his hand lifting Castiel's knee slowly into his chest. He swallowed and exhaled slowly before slipping his index finger in his mouth and going to run it along Castiel's seam and putting gentle pressure on his entrance, keeping his eyes focused up on Castiel's face for any and all signs of discomfort. If they were going to do this, Dean was going to make sure he did it right. 

"Oh!" Castiel exclaimed breathlessly, a little surprised. Though he had known it was coming, it was still a little unexpected. Castiel wasn't going to lie, he did feel a bit exposed, but he tried not to dwell on it. He realized that Dean was probably watching for a response. "I'm okay," he reassured him, almost positive that it was true, "Keep going."

Dean exhaled, running his hand up his side and putting his left hand in Castiel's hand, wrapping his fingers around Castiel's so the other man could feel the weight of his wedding ring around his finger. He moved to slowly press his index finger inside Castiel, simultaneously running his tongue along the length of him to combat the sensation of the stretch. 

Castiel squeezed Dean's hand, biting his lip against the strange feeling of something pressing inside him. It wasn't entirely unwelcome, but it was new and different and Castiel wasn't really sure how to react. 

Dean waited until he could feel Castiel's body giving freely against his touch before he slid another finger inside of him, closing his lips around the length of him, trying to make sure each uncomfortable movement was coupled with a pleasurable one. 

Castiel could feel his body starting to react to Dean's touches. He started breathing a little faster, his heart beginning to race again. It was still a little strange, but now it was erring on the side of pleasure rather than discomfort. 

Dean groaned as he watched Castiel reacting. He worked deliberately, stretching Castiel with new digits slowly until he couldn't possible stand it anymore. He removed his mouth and hand and rocked up onto his knees before stepping off the bed with a forceful exhale. He snatched something out of the drawer on his side table before stepping out of his pants and covering Castiel with his body, lowering himself down into an impassioned kiss that lit fire in his blood and sent electricity down his spine. 

Castiel let out a whimper when he felt Dean pull away, suddenly feeling a strange sense of emptiness. He responded fiercely when Dean returned, clinging onto him desperately. He pressed up against Dean's body, eager for whatever is next, wanting to continue.

Dean oiled his hand before liberally applying it to himself, hoisting himself up on his knees and breaking their kiss. He tucked his face against Castiel's neck so he wasn't looking at him, not wanting to embarrass him. "Take a deep breath," he instructed softly. "And let it out slowly." When Cas complied he lined himself up and pressed into him with his exhale. His hands bunched in the blanket. He tried not to lose his mind, but it was a battle he was quickly losing the further he pressed into Castiel. "Good, god," he groaned softly.

Castiel's jaw went slack, his eyes shot open, and it felt as though the breath had left his lungs. The stretched burned a bit and Castiel had to remind himself to breathe. He wrapped his arms around Dean, gripping him tightly, needing to dig his nails into something. When he felt Dean finally stop fully inside him, he let out another breath, trying to get used to the sensation. It took him a little longer than he would like to admit until the burn of the stretch finally faded. "Okay," he whispered after a moment, "I'm okay. Keep going."

Dean's body was aching to move, but he didn't, he clenched his jaw and looked down into Castiel's face. "You sure?" he asked in a breath. "We- we can stop."

"I said I'm okay," Castiel repeated, nearly sure that it was completely true, "Please move, do something."

Dean obeyed, slowly dragging himself away before pushing back up into him, angling his hips so they hit that sensitive cluster of nerves that Dean knew were there. His chest and abdomen were practically screaming, full of energy and ache and unadulterated want. His shoulders and arms tensed, his whole body went rigid as he moved, keeping his movements slow even as his muscles demanded he move faster. He dropped his head so he was cheek to cheek with Cas, closing his eyes and trying like hell to keep his wits about him. 

A cry a pleasure was torn from Castiel's throat when he felt a spot inside him that he didn't even know he had. It was a kind of pleasure that he had never felt before. Castiel clutched onto Dean, eyes screwed shut, mouth dropped open as moans and whimpers continued to pass his lips. He didn't think he was even capable of speaking English anymore until one word came rushing out of his mouth. "More."

It was like spurring a caged horse. He exhaled through his nose hard trying to hold onto the threads of self-control he was desperately grasping at. He thought his teeth were going to snap off he was grinding them so hard. He started to rock his hips in a rhythm, not fast, but not exactly slow either, one hand snaking under Castiel's thigh to give him better range of motion the other holding up his weight on the bed. He groaned into Castiel's ear through his teeth, trying to keep everything together. 

Castiel took a moment to get used to the new pace, trying to remember to breath, a moan of intense pleasure coming with every exhale. He could feel it coming. That same feeling that he'd had the other night. The complete giving over to his body. Castiel felt his legs spread wider for Dean and he tried to move with him a bit, rather than just lying in place, and that was good for a moment. Until it wasn't. "More," he groaned again, "I know you can."

"Oh, god," Dean said, Castiel's urging making something in him snap. The hand that was on Castiel's leg leapt up to tangle into his hair as he started to move quicker, harder, unable to keep himself from it. He should have stayed slow, should have just let Castiel ride it out, but he couldn't help it. He was enraptured. He wanted to tell him he was trying to be careful, he wanted him to know he was holding back for him, but all his brain would let him say was "Cas," over and over again. "I'm yours," He said into his ear before looking down in his face. "And I love you." Then he kissed him hard.

Castiel responded to the kiss as well as he could, a little bit preoccupied. That was exactly what he needed to hear, now, when he felt more vulnerable than he ever had but in the best way. "I love you," he groaned into the kiss, holding onto Dean tightly. He'd never felt so connected with another person before, not even when he was performing healing alchemy.

"Unh, oh god," He moaned, his resolve snapping a little more with every movement. "Cas... Cas, I... oh my god." It was taking hold of him. The sheer ecstasy and profound connection sending electricity through him, his brain going white. He wrapped his arms around Castiel's shoulders, pulling them together as close as he could, letting his forehead fall onto Castiel’s. "I-I... I’ve got you, Cas," He said as he continued to move with purposeful direction, not so much speed as passion, pulling them together. 

It took another two minutes at most for Castiel to come, warmth spilling between them as he screamed Dean's name. 

Castiel's orgasm is what beckoned Dean's, a long low moan pouring from his throat as the frenzy overtook him and he spilled out into Cas. 

Castiel felt a burning warmth inside him, filling him up. It was strange, like nothing he'd ever felt before. He took a moment to breathe, his chest heaving. He didn't even realize that his eyes had fluttered shut until he made to open them again. It was like he was suddenly hyper-aware of everything around him that he felt, saw, heard, smelled. "That..." Castiel began, really not sure what word he was looking for, "Wow."

"Wow is good," he said, kissing his forehead. "I can work with wow," He laughed and kissed his cheek and then his lips. He felt Castiel relax around him and pulled himself away with a shudder, his arms quivering to hold up his weight. "I love you," he breathed, kissing him again. 

"And I love you," Castiel murmured, "Now lay down before you pull something." He could visibly see the muscles in Dean's arms straining and he wanted him to just relax.

"Yeah, okay," he said with a soft nod before rolling over onto his back, more collapsing. "Holy shit," He said softly, putting the heels of his hands over his eyes. "You okay?"

"I'm... yeah, no I'm fine. I'm okay. Completely okay," Castiel decided, nodding his head firmly. He suddenly got a little nervous, like he always did. "Was I okay?" he asked softly, looking at Dean out of the corner of his eye.

Dean couldn't help but laugh. He propped himself up on an elbow and leaned over Castiel. "Enough with this," he said. "You are amazing. You're perfect. From your silly hair to your toes you are everything that is good and right about the world and nothing in this lifetime will ever convince me otherwise." 

"I really do love you," Castiel said with a small smile, looking over at Dean.

"And I love you," Dean said, sliding his left hand down Castiel's left shoulders, down his arm, and linking their fingers together, feeling the weight of their wedding rings touching. He kissed him again, reveling in his scent and smiling against his lips. "And I always will."


End file.
